The following report contains disturbing descriptions, photographs, and video footage depicting the shooting deaths of four horses at Don Gatz's property in Atwater, California. Viewer discretion is advised.
Caption: This is condensed footage of body-worn camera video obtained from Merced County Sheriff’s Department. View the original body camera footage: Part 1 and Part 2.
How Animals' Angels Learned About the Incident
Animals' Angels received an anonymous tip from an individual connected to California horse trader Don Gatz's operation reporting that law enforcement had recently responded to Gatz's property and that several horses in extremely poor condition had been euthanized.
Concerned by the allegations, Animals' Angels obtained the official police report, which confirmed that multiple horses had been shot at Gatz's ranch in Atwater, California. View the Merced County Sheriff’s Incident Report (PDF)
On March 28, 2025, two Merced County Animal Control officers responded to the property after receiving a complaint that there were five emaciated horses running loose.
What began as a routine records request would ultimately lead to months of legal efforts, the release of body-worn camera footage, and serious questions about how the incident was handled.
Caption: This Belgian was found dead on Gatz’s property in a past Animals’ Angels’ investigation
For more than a decade, Animals' Angels has documented concerns involving California horse trader Don Gatz. In 2011, Gatz was convicted on felony animal cruelty charges after authorities found dozens of horses in severe distress on his property. Fifteen of those horses ultimately had to be euthanized.
Since then, Animals' Angels has repeatedly documented horses in poor condition at Gatz-associated properties and tracked horses moving through channels connected to the slaughter pipeline.
Despite a long history of animal welfare concerns, Gatz has continued to operate.
Previous Animals' Angels investigations documented thin horses, horses with overgrown hooves, and even the bodies of dead horses found on Gatz-associated properties:
Now, more than a decade after his felony cruelty conviction, authorities once again found horses on a Gatz property that were described in the police report as "sickly, deformed and thin."
Four of those horses would be dead before the day was over. And once again, the question is whether anyone will be held accountable.
After reviewing the police report, Animals' Angels requested body-worn camera footage from the responding officers.
The request was denied. According to Merced County, "the public interest served by not disclosing the record outweighs the public interest served by disclosure."
Concerned by the denial, Animals' Angels retained legal counsel and appealed the decision. After months of legal efforts, the appeal was successful and the footage was released.
What the footage revealed was deeply troubling.
11:49 a.m. – Animal Control officers arrive at Don Gatz's property and meet with the veterinarian assessing five horses.
11:50 a.m. – The veterinarian tells officers she wants four horses euthanized and recommends euthanasia by gunshot, citing disposal concerns associated with chemical euthanasia.
11:52 a.m. – The veterinarian describes severe health issues affecting the horses. Earlier in the day, a worker had told responding officers that the horses were allegedly abandoned on the property by an unknown individual.
11:53 a.m. – An officer tells Gatz they are simply "keeping an eye" on the property. The footage does not show a broader inspection of the ranch or investigation into the horses' condition.
12:03 p.m. – An officer asks how to mute a body camera. Moments later, Body Camera 4 is muted as horses are moved to the location where they will be shot.
12:06–12:14 p.m. – Ranch workers shoot three horses in succession. As the shootings continue, the remaining bay horse becomes increasingly distressed. The horse is seen struggling while workers attempt to position it. A second worker is called over to assist before the horse is finally shot. Portions of this sequence occur while body cameras are muted.
12:17 p.m. – The body camera recording is turned off entirely.
12:44 p.m. – A second recording begins. The officers are finally checking the horses to confirm that they are really dead.
12:49 p.m. – An officer states that one horse still has a heartbeat (Referring to the paint horse that had been shot at 12:06pm). One of the horses is laying in a completely different location than before and the officers discuss that the horse reportedly required six gunshots before finally dying.
The Missing Footage
The first recording ends at 12:17 p.m. and does not resume until approximately 12:44 p.m.
When the footage resumes, one of the horses is no longer located where it was originally shot, indicating that the horse got up and moved after the first unsuccessful attempt to kill it. A renderer is present on scene.
Because portions of the incident occurred while body cameras were muted, turned off, or otherwise unavailable, the available footage does not provide a complete record of what occurred between the initial shootings and the arrival of the renderer.
28 minutes of the incident were either never recorded on the bodycam or cut out later.
When questioned about the missing recording, representatives of the Sheriff's Office stated that they did not know what happened to it.
Animals' Angels was also informed that because no criminal charges were filed, the original footage had already been purged from the county's online evidence system, evidence.com.
Questions we are asking
The footage and accompanying records leave several important questions unanswered:
The police report states that the horses were allegedly abandoned on the property by an unknown individual. What investigation was conducted to identify that person and verify that claim?
If humane euthanasia was deemed necessary, why were ranch workers permitted to perform the shootings while Animal Control officers stood by?
The responding officers were present throughout the process. Following each shot, death should have been confirmed immediately, including by checking for the absence of a corneal reflex. Instead, the footage shows officers remaining at a distance while the process continued. More than 40 minutes later, an officer can be heard discussing a horse that still had a heartbeat. What caused the officers to act with such carelessness?
Why were body cameras muted and later turned off during active portions of the incident?
Why was Animals' Angels initially denied access to the footage, and why are approximately 28 minutes of the recording missing?
Body Camera Policy
Merced County Sheriff's Office policy states that recording may be stopped during significant periods of inactivity, such as report writing or breaks from direct participation in an incident.
The policy further states that when an officer deactivates a body-worn camera, the officer must verbally state the reason for doing so and document that reason in the report.
Yet during critical portions of the event, body cameras were muted, turned off, or otherwise failed to document what occurred.
The available recordings do not contain an explanation for those actions.
View the Merced County Sheriff’s Body-Worn Camera Policy (PDF)
4 Horses Are Dead. Many Questions Remain.
The available footage shows Animal Control officers arriving at Don Gatz's property, accepting the veterinarian's recommendation, and overseeing the shooting of four horses.
What the footage does not show is an investigation into how these horses came to be in such poor condition or who should be held accountable for it.
Body cameras were muted. Portions of the footage are now missing.
Meanwhile, Don Gatz once again appears to have escaped scrutiny.
Animals' Angels believes the public deserves a full and independent review of what happened that day.
Take Action
Animals' Angels has filed formal complaints regarding the conduct of the responding officers and is requesting further review of this incident by the appropriate authorities.
We are calling for:
An independent investigation into the actions of the responding Animal Control officers.
A thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to these horses being found in such poor condition on Don Gatz's property.
A review of compliance with Merced County Sheriff's Office body-worn camera policies.
If you are troubled by what you have seen, please add your name to our petition calling for a full and independent review of this case and help us demand accountability for these horses.
Four Horses Are Dead. Demand Accountability.
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