Investigators arrived at the weekly auction at 9:30am. The auction holds a livestock sale as well as a separate small animal sale and a flea market once a week. Upon arrival, investigators noted dozens of Amish/Mennonite horse buggies and horses “parked” on one side of the premises. The horses, still in their harnesses, were tied to a metal hitching post with no shade and no access to water. Most of them were still there when investigators left at 3:00pm. The livestock auction started with the horse sale at 11:00am. The horses were in pens with water troughs. However, several horses were tied to the pen railing and unable to drink. The condition of all horses as well as the handling of the horses was ok. It appeared to be a slow sale day, many of the pens were empty. Fans were running in the barn. All calves, sheep and cows observed appeared to be in good condition. The small animal auction started in a different barn at 1:00pm. A large fan was running in one corner. The sale was very chaotic. Piles of crates, cages and cardboard boxes with birds were stacked up along the left wall. The barn was very crowded with auction visitors, people were moving the boxes around, opening cardboard boxes to look at the birds inside and kicking the boxes at floor level. Some of the card board boxes were covered with cling wrap. Rabbits were put in tiny metal cages with no flooring and no water. More birds where piled on top of each other outside the barn. 
The cooling fan did not reach those birds and especially the ducks and chicken in plastic crates on the bottom of the pile were panting. Animals’ Angels will report the conditions found to market management and the area’s humane officer.
