The League Against Cruel Sports accused race organisers of 'ritual animal cruelty'.
It said there have been 17 deaths at the National in the last 16 years.
A spokesman said: 'It is ritualised animal cruelty and yet the racing industry stand by and watch, while John Smith's put their profits into sponsoring the cruelty.
'Everyone involved should be thoroughly ashamed.'
Andrew Tyler of Animal Aid attacked the BBC, alleging a commentator described the dead horses lying on the course as an 'obstacle'.
He said: 'When horses are killed at the Grand National meeting, their deaths are not accidents but entirely predictable.
'The public has been conned into believing that the Grand National is a great sporting spectacle when, in reality, it is straightforward animal abuse that is on a par with Spanish bullfighting.
'This race should have no future in a civilised country. The BBC deserves particular condemnation for all but concealing news of the deaths.
'It is particularly callous and disgusting that a member of the BBC commentary team should describe the dead horses as they lay on the course as an "obstacle".'
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