Rio Grand Classic Auction, El Paso, TX 3/6/12

Investigators arrived at Rio Grand Classic Livestock at 9:00am. The auction holds a monthly horse sale, but also has a long history of shipping horses to slaughter in Mexico. The auction is also among the owner/shippers that have violated the Commercial Transport of Equines to Slaughter Regulations. (TX08310)

 Upon arrival, Wayne R West Trucking (US DOT 1252613) was observed backed to the loading dock, loading approximately 30 horses with slaughter tags onto the single deck trailer.  Handling was satisfactory, with exception of the last 5-6 horses.  These horses were poked and hit by handlers as they loaded. 

At 11:25am, the truck took the Sierra Blanca exit and drove to the Wayne R West Trucking Company. Several other semis where parked next to a small garage/office building. A review of the FMCSA records revealed that the company has multiple violations for fatigued driving, log books and driver’s records not being current.

Around 3:15pm, investigators observed the Wayne R West truck/trailer unloading the slaughter horses at the new Ruben Brito export pens in Presidio, TX.  Unloading was satisfactory, and horses had immediate access to food and water.