Investigators observed that there was no food or water available to the animals in the crowded pens. The outside “slow pen” contained several emaciated cows with large utters. In September, Animals Angels met with several officials of the PA Department of Agriculture to inform them of the poor conditions for the animals at Greencastle Auction. As a result, they had discussions with the auction management and the auction owner agreed to install water troughs in the pens and provide water. However, based upon our observations, this has not been done. Animals’ Angels will inform the State Veterinarian and push to have the water troughs installed.
Additionally, the auction owner promised that no downer would be left to suffer. However, when the investigators inspected the outside pens at 5:50am the next morning, they discovered a dead cow and a downer cow that was alive. Investigators continued to check the condition of this cow over the next five hours, however, her condition gradually worsened. Investigators contacted the humane officer. Shortly after, a person approached the cow with a rifle and shot her two times. The two cows in the pens were then loaded into a truck with a skid loader. It is completely unacceptable that the cow was downed for five hours before she was euthanized. Animals’ Angels has filed a complaint and will inform the Department of AG about the incident.