Trainer Accused of Cruelty Retains Louisiana License

Charges that a trainer let three horses starve to death and mistreated three others are not related to racing, so his license won’t be affected unless he is convicted, a state racing official said.

Jackie Wade Thacker was cited earlier this month for six counts of cruelty to animals after three emaciated horses were taken from his farm and the bodies of three others were found.

“This was . . . a case of neglect,” said Dr. Maxwell Lea, state veterinarian. He said the dead horses were “too far gone” for veterinarians to get tissue samples.

The state Racing Commission probably would act against Thacker if he is convicted of the charges, or if a race track steward were to tell racing officials the citations appeared connected with the track, said executive director Claude Williams. Meanwhile, he said, Thacker’s license is valid.