Undercover Investigation
Underscores USDA - Documented Brutality 30 month long investigation proves
worst-case scenario is ongoing Westminster, MD (PRWEB) August 6,
2009 -- A thirty month long investigation into the plight of horses who have
been sold for slaughter has revealed the worst levels of inhumane treatment.
The abuse and neglect of these horses, sometimes referred to as 'kill
horses,' was uncovered during the investigation and is consistent with
findings and photographs contained in a 906 page document released by the
USDA (http://www.animals-angels.de/index.php?pageID=675&synlink:docID=i11166&synlink:linkID=)
last year. The investigation and report by
Animals' Angels (http://www.animals-angels.com),
a Maryland based animal welfare organization, confirmed that injuries and
inhumane treatment documented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture during
2005 continue. Both USDA and Animals' Angels (AA)
documents show horses severely injured, left medically untreated, ill,
trampled to death and worse on their way to and at slaughter. Executive Director of Animals'
Angels, Sonja Meadows said their investigations quickly revealed that,
"Both government records and our report show that being on U.S. soil was
not then and is not now the slightest guarantee of humane treatment." The slaughter of horses in the
U.S., which stopped with plant closures in 2007, continues in Canada and
Mexico. Groups advocating the slaughter of American horses have called for
the reopening of U.S. horse slaughter plants, saying horses are better
protected by U.S. humane laws than by laws in Canada and Mexico. However,
during the 30 month long investigation that included repeated visits to
auctions, feedlots and slaughter plants, AA investigators concluded abuse and
inhumane treatment are inherent to the horse slaughter industry. "It takes inhumane treatment
to make the economics work," said Meadows. "We found the cruelty
starts well before horses arrive at the slaughter plant." The AA report documents available
veterinary care withheld from horses severely injured or near death.
Undercover investigators were routinely told, 'That horse is going to
slaughter anyway,' or the horses were 'just passing through.' Treatment of horses designated for
slaughter ranged from beating horses and jabbing them in the eyes, to using a
cable winch to drag downed horses with a wire wrapped around a back leg. Investigators observed horses
being injured or killed after being forced into dangerously crowded pens
where they were kicked or trampled. Others were found frozen to the ground
after overnight temperatures dropped well below freezing. Young and small horses, as well as
horses injured or weak were trampled to death in trailers crowded with 40
horses. Workers failed to separate stallions, ensuring fierce fighting in
close quarters during transport. Making conditions worse is the
issue of stolen horses, according to Debi Metcalfe, founder of Stolen Horse
International, Inc., which operates www.NetPosse.com, a horse theft recovery network that
averages 80,000 unique visitors per month. "We have dealt with cases
where horses were stolen," said Metcalf. "We later found out that
these innocent pets had been slaughtered." Investigators also discovered at
both Canadian and Mexican slaughter plants horses left in bloody 'kill
boxes,' used to restrain horses as they are being killed, during lunch
breaks. According to the report, the horses were 'shaking violently as if
they might fall down.' Plant management told investigators the horses 'aren't
bothered by it.' AA investigators documented
injured and dead horses at every stop along the horse slaughter pipeline. At
feedlots and export pens horses had no food and water troughs were empty. An
export facility veterinarian informed investigators horses too weak for
transport would be left behind to die in the pens. "The public has been duped
into thinking horse slaughter has ended, but it just moved a few hours
further down the road," Meadows pointed out. "It hasn't somehow
changed into something it is not. It is the same terrible suffering it was in
2005." "By the time the horse
finally stands in the kill box at the slaughter plant, it is often not the
worst thing that has happened to it since this dreadful journey began,"
said Meadows. For a copy of the investigative
report, click here... (http://www.animals-angels.de/index.php?pageID=690&synlink:docID=i11166&synlink:linkID=) The documents including photos
released by the USDA can be found here... (http://www.animals-angels.de/index.php?pageID=675&synlink:docID=i11166&synlink:linkID=) About Animals Angels Animals' Angels is a 501 (c)(3)
non profit organization with fulltime investigators in the United States and
Canada. We work with law enforcement and government agencies to end animal
cruelty and improve conditions for farm animals. We are in the field every
week, trailing livestock trucks, visiting markets, collecting stations and
slaughter plants. For more information please go to www.animals-angels.com ###
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