Animals’ Angels investigators returned to this Morton, TX location to check on the conditions for slaughter horses at the Beltex owned feedlot. The Beltex Corporation has operated this feedlot to amass slaughter horses prior to shipment to slaughter in Mexico. The horses would arrive from all over the country and would then be exported a few days later via the Eagle Pass, Presidio or Socorro export pens.
When AA visited the feedlot in 2012, the investigators had noted that the number of horses kept at the feedlot had decreased significantly. However, the horses that were observed at that time appeared to be rejects and were in deplorable condition.
When investigators arrived at the feedlot in August for this recent investigation, they immediately noted that the premises appeared overgrown and that all the pens were empty. No horses were visible inside the pens and no trucks were parked on the premises.
However, since public documents show that Beltex continues to ship horses to the export pens as usual, it is possible that Beltex no longer uses this location as the main feedlot and has moved operations to a more secluded area. Animals’ Angels will continue to monitor the situation.