John 'Shark' Hanlon was slammed by an animal rights group after going viral for parading a horse around a bar, but he has since issued a statement in response.
Racing trainer Hanlon had brought Ireland's wonder horse Hewick into a bar during a recent homecoming party. The incident left punters in a County Carlow pub in complete awe after the horse was walked through the door by Hanlon.
Hanlon's thoroughbred Hewick was bought for just £800 but won the American Grand National earlier this month to claim a £140,000 prize and write his name in punters folklore. Hewick has racked up a whopping £400,000 in racetrack winnings and had returned from his triumph stateside with a party arranged for trainer Hanlon.
An event was organised at County Carlow's 'The Pint Depot' where punters celebrated the success of Hewick with pints of Guinness.
But the evening took an unusual turn when Hanlon decided to walk Hewick into the pub. The horse was later filmed snorting a Guinness as fans whipped their phones out to capture the memorable moment.
But Hanlon's actions have since been condemned by the non-profit animal rights organisation PETA. The group claim that Hanlon brought the horse into the bar for a "cheap laugh" in what was a dangerous environment for the animal.
PETA's statement read: "Horses are not “show and tell” playthings – they are sensitive animals who are easily spooked, and anyone with a scintilla of respect for horses knows that a rowdy, cramped pub without an obvious exit is a stressful and dangerous environment for them.
"This publicity stunt wasn’t done for Hewick’s benefit – it was done for a cheap laugh, perhaps to distract punters from the fact that trainers are still whipping horses, risking catastrophic injuries, and running them to death just for a chance at the prize money."
However, Hanlon has since dismissed those allegations, telling the Irish Mirror : “Hewick is a very safe horse. He doesn't buck and kick. We double-checked that everything is alright, and he doesn't hurt himself off anything. Then safely turned him around."
