Sugarcreek Auction, OH 5/14/10

Sugarcreek Auction handling remains terrible. Some horses go down as they are moved from the pens to the auction ring. At auction are 151 kill horses. Some are very thin. Some are sick with strangles infection. A large black horse, a Percheron, is very thin and cannot bear weight on all 4 legs. His right back leg is badly injured. In a pen by himself in a front stall, he is readily visible to auction employees. Investigators stay until the auction ends but the Percheron does not go through the ring. Investigators call Sugarcreek police to report the horse and Sugarcreek’s failure to follow applicable law. Chief Kazar promises to go to the auction and talk to the owner, Leroy Baker, to ensure horse is euthanized.