Premium television network HBO is defending the treatment and safety of horses used in its new racing drama "Luck" after two animals died during production of the show, according to a Feb. 12 report from BloodHorse.com.

The report indicates the two horses were injured and subsequently euthanized during the filming of the series in 2010 and 2011; People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) reportedly criticized the network for the horses’ deaths.

"Racing itself is dangerous enough; this is a fictional representation of something and horses are still dying, and that to me is outrageous," said PETA vice president Kathy Guillermo in the BloodHorse.com report. Guillermo added she feels the guidelines set forth by the American Humane Association (AHA, which monitors the safety of animals on film and television sets) "failed to prevent the two deaths, so clearly they were inadequate."

An HBO spokesman told TheHorse.com in an e-mailed statement that "everyone involved with ‘Luck’ is committed to taking every precaution to ensure the safety and well-being of the horses and other animals used on the show