6/12/09-6/19/09 Sugarcreek Horse Auction, OH
Animals’ Angels investigators visited the weekly horse auction in Sugarcreek. The sale consisted of 165 horses, of which kill buyer Leroy Baker purchased 60. Kill buyer F. Bauer purchased approx. 50 horses. Amish workers moved the animals in an unacceptable manner, by excessive whipping and poking the horses in the face and eyes. Investigators discovered one of the pens contained 27 horses already bound for slaughter with green USDA slaughter tags. Several of the horses inside this pen had severe eye infections.
One horse had an injured leg and could not put any weight on it. Animals’ Angels investigators discussed these issues with the veterinarian on site and specifically explained that due to the horse’s injury it could not be transported. However, the veterinarian responded that the animal belonged to Leroy Baker and that he could not do anything. Later during that week investigators found 32 horses with green USDA slaughter tags in an outside pen in the hot sun without water.
One of the horses observed alive in the slaughter pen the day before was dead and discarded in the parking lot together with a dead cow. The investigation revealed that despite the $162,000 fine Baker has to pay and despite two more pending cases against him, he still has not changed his ways. Animals’ Angels has no option but to continue gathering evidence against Baker.