PETA Buys Stock in Evangeline Downs & Delta Downs

The animal rights group PETA is once again taking their non-traditional fighting style in a new direction in their quest to end animal cruelty. The organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has long been opposed to the way racetracks such as Evangeline Downs and Delta Downs treat animals at their facilities. Therefore, the folks at PETA seem to have adopted a strategy that aligns with the old adage, if you can't beat em, join em.

The organization announced last week that they have purchased stock in Boyd Gaming. Boyd Gaming is the parent company of Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs. The reason for the stock purchase according to a PETA spokesperson was to take the case for ending animal cruelty at racetracks straight to the boardroom.

The group says this tact has worked in other efforts to draw attention to animal cruelty concerns. A PETA spokesperson suggested in comments reported in an article published by KPLC Television that,

What we have found over and over again is that once we purchase stock, we can often bring these companies to the table to discuss what are very common sense issues I’m talking about the things that will prevent the deaths of horses on the tracks.

Those are the words of Kathy Guillermo, Senior Vice President of Equine Matters at PETA.

PETA says by purchasing stock in racing companies that manage tracks in California and Kentucky they've been able to bring about changes to the sport. Changes PETA believes are for the better. They hope to accomplish similar changes through their stock purchase/ board room approach in southwest Louisiana.