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nvestigators attended the weekly livestock auction in Escalon, CA. The auction started on time with the small animal sale. Close to 100 chicken, rabbits, ducks, guinea pigs and turkeys were being offered in cages stacked on top of each other. Despite the hot temperatures, most of the animals had no access to water. Some animals were injured, a duck had a bleeding beak and a turkey had bleeding spots on his face. After that sale, investigators walked through the pen area to check the condition of the other animals. Again, many of the old dairy cows were in appalling condition, emaciated, limping and weakened. All the way in the back of the premises, investigators found a pen with horses. The shelter less pen was completely covered in deep mud, causing the horses to sink in to well above their ankles. There was no dry spot anywhere and no way for the horses to get out of the muck.
Additionally, there was a deep, rectangular hole in the middle of the pen, which puts the horses at risk of falling and breaking a leg. There was no hay available, the feeder bin was empty. Several of the horses were thin. Most of the horses did not have an auction tag and according to an auction worker they were “being held” for someone. Investigators remained at the sale for the remainder of the day to check if someone would come to pick the horses up.
However, there was no activity.When they returned to the auction to check on the animals again the next morning, the horses were gone. It is likely that one of California’s horse traders is using the auction to temporarily house horses until they are ready to be shipped.
We will continue to monitor this sale and investigate this further.