A shocking PETA investigation has revealed that the ‘King of Beers’ mutilates his world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales purely for ‘cosmetic reasons’.
Budweiser has used the legendary Clydesdales in parades, TV commercials and the Super Bowl for nearly a century. But PETA claims the company has an “ugly and dirty secret” about how cruelly it treats these animals to ensure they look a certain way when you pull the cart.
His nine-month investigation last year at Warm Springs Ranch in Missouri — the official kennel for Budweiser Clydesdales and Grants Farm — revealed that some horses had their tailbones amputated while they were foals.
“Tail docking” was traditionally done to prevent ponytails from interfering with carriage gear. In some cases, a scalpel is used to sever part of the horse’s spine. Or a tight band is used to restrict blood flow, causing it to die and fall off.
But the barbaric practice was described as “surgical abuse” by an equine veterinarian. It’s also been condemned by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners — unless it’s medically necessary. And it’s illegal in ten states, as well as many European countries.
PETA shares disturbing images of a Clydesdale’s ‘full luscious long tail’ and then the ‘docked’ image
Budweiser has used the legendary Clydesdales in parades, TV commercials and the Super Bowl for nearly a century. But PETA revealed an “ugly and dirty secret” about the way the company treats the animals to ensure they look a certain way when the cart is pulled
This disturbing revelation comes ahead of Budweiser’s 90th anniversary of its “world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales,” for which the company has several celebratory parades planned. Typically ten horses are harnessed to each beer wagon.
Experts claim that amputation of horses’ tailbones results in permanent disfigurement and lifelong pain – affecting the animals’ balance and destroying their first line of defense against disease-carrying insects. Horses also rely on their tails to communicate with herd mates.
Equine veterinarian Sid Gustafson and a PETA campaign supporter said it was “abusive and inhumane to remove a horse’s tail.”
“Tail amputation results in lifelong imbalance in running and turning fast,” Gustafson said. “It is animal cruelty and medically unworthy to have a horse’s tail removed, except in cases of medical necessity.”
Busy with work, the Clydesdales gallop down what appears to be a parade route
Footage from shows Budweiser and Anheuser-Busch officials attempting to claim that the horses’ tail hairs had just been “trimmed”.
But when PETA’s investigative team spoke to handlers who travel with teams of adult horses, it turned out that some of their tailbones had actually been severed.
His video shows a handler with his face covered telling an undercover PETA investigator, “You’re not naturally small. We trim them.”
When PETA asked, “Are they doubling the tail?”
The handler replied, “No, we only trim them weekly. They still have their tails. It’s just they cut the hair.’
When PETA asked, “Oh, so they’re still like the full dicks? Are you just tied up?
“Yup,” said a handler.
But when PETA investigators later spoke to other Budweiser Clydesdale retailers, they told a different story.
When asked “Are you docked?” The handler replied, “Yup.”
“I’m not exactly sure when Budweiser does this, but usually when they’re quite young. They get cut early, I know that. Because they would go to the bottom.’
Last month, PETA sent a letter to Brendan Whitworth, Zone North America President and CEO Anheuser-Busch, urging the company to end tail docking.
The letter, which was sent by PETA senior vice president Kathy Guillermo, said: “There is no excuse for this mutilation, which is done for cosmetic reasons. Tail braiding and wrapping is enough to protect Clydesdales’ tails from getting caught in wagon hitch gear.
“The legendary Budweiser Clydesdales have long been symbols of American values and traditions, and your company should protect that image to ensure they don’t become synonymous with baseless cruelty to horses.”
Moira Colley, a spokeswoman for PETA, told that in response to her revelations, Anheuser-Busch canceled in-person horse events for two Super Bowl events in Arizona and another at Warms Springs Ranch.
Guillermo is now urging Budweiser to “stop mutilating horses immediately and realize they need their tails.”
“Budweiser is the king of tears because he hurt the Clydesdales for 90 years just because of a brand image,” she said.
Illustrations of the ponytail and spinal cord and where the tail is docked
The illustration shows the horse’s tail being severed, disfiguring the animal
An unnamed representative admitted to PETA’s investigators that the horse’s tailbone was severed
The red circle highlights where the ponytail is garbled
On Super Bowl Sunday, PETA launched a “tailgate” campaign against Budweiser, with protesters marching alongside a mobile billboard on Arizona’s parade routes.
The protest lasted all week, and the billboard circled Anheuser-Busch’s flagship brewery in St. Louis — near a mural of the Clydesdales celebrating their 90th anniversary.
PETA said an aerial banner also flew over State Farm Stadium and nearby tailgate parties hosted by TV chefs Guy Fieri and Bobby Flay on Super Bowl day.
“Anheuser Busch has not yet made a commitment to ending equine coccyx mutilation,” Colley said. “Today we’re protesting in San Antonio and yesterday we were at the Daytona 500.”
“We will appear at all future public appearances by the horses. TV adverts are in the works and social media will continue to encourage public appeal. Already more than 26,000 people have emailed Anheuser-Busch objecting to the tail clipping.’
Anheuser-Busch currently owns about 250 Clydesdales with a few breeding facilities across the country, Distractify reported.
The main facilities are at Warm Springs Ranch in Missouri – on 300 acres – and it is home to more than 70 Clydesdales, from foals to stallions.
Grant’s Farm near St. Louis has also been owned by the Busch family since 1903 and has 35 Clydesdales at any given time, PETA revealed.
The beer giant has used the horses since 1933, when the Busch family gave six Clydesdales to their father, August Busch senior, to celebrate the end of Prohibition.
To qualify, a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding that is at least 6 feet tall from hoof to shoulder, has white stockinged feet and a white stripe down his face, the news outlet reported.
The Budweiser Clydesdales are on the road 40 to 45 weeks a year, said Jeff Knapper, general manager of Clydesdale Operations at Anheuser-Busch.
When contacted Anheuser Busch, they did not respond to our request for comment.
In January, the Anheuser-Busch family welcomed four little Clydesdales – Razor, Stinger, Baron and Sergeant – to their Warm Springs ranch. In the post, the company advertised its new 2023 foals at the “Football and Foals Watch Party.”
The frightening image of a foal’s docked tail
A Clydesdale is brought into the barn area of Grant’s Farm near St. Louis. The farm has been owned by the Busch family since 1903 and at any given time has around 35 Clydesdales
The cruel barbaric practice is carried out when the Clydesdales are still foals and has been described as “surgical abuse” by an equine veterinarian.
Once the tails are mutilated they are covered with a bow as seen in the picture before performing in front of the public. The horrifying practice is condemned by the American Veterinary Medical Association and is illegal in 10 states and a number of countries
Countries and States where Tail Docking is PROHIBITED
* The American Association of Equine Practitioners condemns the modification of the horse’s tail for cosmetic or competitive purposes.
* AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) condemns the modification of the horse’s tail for cosmetic or competitive purposes.
* The College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC) voted to ban tail docking and modification of dogs, horses and cattle.
* In the United States, 10 states – Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Washington, Connecticut, Michigan, South Carolina – prohibit ponytail docking entirely or unless necessary (ie, for medical reasons for the benefit of the animal or in an emergency).
* In New Jersey, according to the AVMA, docking of cattle tails is only permitted for individual animals after determination by a veterinarian
*In New Hampshire, a permit must be obtained from the state veterinarian before a licensed veterinarian may perform a tail docking procedure on a horse.
* Illinois prohibits the docking of a horse’s tail unless there is a proven benefit to the horse.
* California prohibits horse and cow tail docking except in emergency situations.
* Rhode Island prohibits tail docking of cows except for veterinary purposes in specific circumstances.
* Docking is prohibited in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. It is allowed in Luxembourg and Spain (except Catalonia and Andalusia).