Investigators returned to the Bowie lot on a hot summer day in July, with temperatures well over 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Upon arrival, they immediately noticed that a new, larger barn was being built on the premises. They also noticed that the pens and the surrounding dry lots were full of donkeys and horses. The property is not only used to hold a monthly horse sale, but also serves as a slaughter horse collecting station for the O’Dwyer’s. Records obtained from Mexican custom authorities reveal that O’Dwyer maintains to be one of the largest remaining shippers of horses to Mexico. Between January and June of 2024, the company shipped 8 loads of donkeys/burros and 44 loads of horses valued at close to $900,000.00 to their deaths. Records linked to O’Dwyer also show that he doesn’t care much about what kind of horses he ships – for example shipping a blind horse mixed in with the other horses.
Business has been great for the O’Dwyer family - in addition to the slaughter shipments and their popular auction they also acquire substantial revenue from several large-scale rescues that advertise the horses in danger of shipping to slaughter extensively on social media. Many of the horses shown are in appalling condition and some are so bad that they should qualify as a cruelty case.
During their July visit in Bowie, AA investigators documented and reported a horse with a substantial open wound, which appeared to not have been treated and a horse that continued to lay down flat on its side in the scorching sun, despite shade trees available nearby.
However, thanks to virtually non-existent enforcement of animal protection laws in the area, O’Dwyer continues to sell these compromised animals without any consequences. Animals’ Angels is working to change that. We will continue to report these observations and urge authorities both on a local as well as federal level to finally take action.