UPDATE: HBO released a statement following PETA’s request for an investigation.

“HBO was saddened to learn that on June 28, during filming on the set of The Gilded Age, a horse collapsed and died, likely of natural causes, according to a veterinarian’s preliminary findings. The safety and well-being of animals on all our productions is a top priority, and the producers of The Gilded Age work with American Humane to ensure full compliance with all safety precautions. Following AHA’s recommendation, the horse was transported to a facility for a full necropsy. AHA has interviewed all involved personnel, and full necropsy results are pending.”

Preliminary findings from horse wranglers and a veterinarian confirmed that the horse had not displayed any signs of discomfort from the outside temperature (in the 70’s) and had not been overworked or overheated prior to its collapse. The horse was 22 years old and had prior filming experience.

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The horse had started filming 15 minutes after a 1-hour rest period. The scene involved a carriage and 2 passengers. Filming was halted immediately during attempts to administer aid to the horse, and production wrapped for the day.

EARLIER: PETA is calling for HBO to conduct an internal investigation into the death of a “23-year-old” horse with “possible health issues” during production of The Gilded Age‘s second season.

The death is reported to have occurred in New York’s Nassau County last week after the horse “sustained head trauma and was seen frothing at the mouth,” according to reports from a PETA whistleblower.

“If it weren’t for these whistleblowers, the apparent death of this vulnerable horse would likely have been swept under the rug,” PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a statement on Thursday. “PETA is reminding HBO that watchful, compassionate people can be found on every set and is urging it to stop using horses before someone else dies in its productions.”

In a letter to HBO Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys, PETA laments the loss of another equine following three deaths on the set of the series Luck in 2012. The horse-raising drama was subsequently canceled.

“These animals were unfit, arthritic, drugged, and pushed beyond their capabilities,” the letter reads in part. “Many weren’t accustomed to film sets and had received no
training but were retired racehorses. We had hoped HBO might have learned something from that experience: namely, that horses aren’t props. They’re sensitive animals who can be startled easily, and they must be gradually accustomed to the changing conditions on a set. They should not be used in film or television productions at all.”

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