News

Landmark Field Investigation of Horse Slaughter in North America

Overloaded horse trailer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | February 9, 2023

Cruelty to “Kill” Horses Is Rampant and Unrelenting Even As the Scale of Slaughter Retreats With Plummeting Demand in the Old World

(Washington, D.C) – A joint investigation and analysis released today and conducted by the Center for a Humane Economy, Animal Wellness Action, and Animals’ Angels reveals that the extraterritorial slaughter of American horses is rapidly waning, but it’s still a merciless journey for around 20,000 American horses.

Success! Bouvry Exports Only US Slaughter Horse Feedlot Closed

Empty Feedlot
Animals’ Angels investigators returned to Bouvry’s main collecting station for all the horses he acquires in the US, located in Shelby, MT. The Bar S feedlot can hold up to 1800 animals. Animals’ Angels has visited this awful place since 2008 and we have found dead, dying, injured or sick horses every single time. It is truly hell on earth for horses.

Animal Defense Partnership Features Animals' Angels

Recent Big Victory for Pregnant Mares in Switzerland Following a revealing investigation of horse blood farms in Iceland, Switzerland recently became the first country to ban the use of the PMSG hormone obtained from the blood of pregnant mares. Our client Animals' Angels helped to internationally publicize the investigation results, and Switzerland was the first country to respond to the public pressure.

Victory for Pregnant Mares Trapped in Blood Farms

Mare during Blood Extraction
GREAT NEWS from our international campaign against PMSG! Switzerland is the first country to ban the use of the hormone obtained from the blood of pregnant mares! This January, Animals’ Angels released information about a new investigation carried out by our European partner, the Animal Welfare Foundation. Investigators visited horse blood farms in Iceland, where 5000 pregnant mares are forced to give up to 5 liters of blood/week. The blood contains PMSG, a hormone used in veterinary drugs to harmonize the estrus in sows. The investigation revealed terrible conditions for the mares, which were beaten with sticks and chased by dogs. The campaign made international news and Switzerland was the first country to react to the public pressure.

Cruelty & Chaos Continue at Kalona Auction

Sick Mare in Auction Pen
Animals’ Angels recently conducted an extensive months-long undercover investigation into the Kalona Auction in Iowa, exposing the terrible treatment and conditions inflicted on the horses trusted to the auction’s care. Kalona is the only auction that uses a hydraulic gate to separate horses moving to the auction ring. As our investigators witnessed firsthand, this is a cruel and chaotic process that inflicts unnecessary suffering on the innocent animals at the sale. The investigation also served as a painful reminder why no one should ever purchase a horse from a kill buyer, since would-be rescuers only perpetuate the inhumane treatment of innocent animals and enable the abuse to continue. Read the full report here.

Animals' Angels Uncovers Horse Meat Used in Dog Food

Horses on Mexican Slaughter Truck
A new Animals' Angels investigation recently led to the discovery that Mexican horse slaughter plants such as Carnicos de Jerez have found a way to circumvent the European ban of horse meat from Mexico. Our analysis of international trade data revealed a disturbing connection between Mexican horse meat producers and the lucrative dog food industry. Carnicos de Jerez has become a supplier to several large companies in the pet food industry, taking advantage of the fact that the current horse meat ban is only in effect for horse meat intended for human consumption. Animal's Angels obtained records showing that in one four month period (April 2019 to July 2019), Carnicos de Jerez shipped close to 193,000 lbs.

Sombrero Ranches – No happy ending for Dude Ranch horses

Sombrero Ranches , one of the largest horse rental companies in the West, promotes an idyllic image of their guests enjoying gentle horse rides through the scenic Rockies. However, Animals' Angels has discovered that the real story behind this operation, which manages over 1,000 horses at any given time, is a sad and shameful tale which offers no happy ending for the poor horses involved. Read the full report here.

New Undercover Investigation at Slaughter Horse Feedlot in Montana released

Animals’ Angels investigators uncover horrifying conditions at the Bar S Feedlot during a 2-day investigation in the small town of Shelby, Montana. Bar S is the main feedlot for Bouvry Exports, which is the largest importer of US horses for slaughter in Canada. Our team documented the feedlot operations and they were shocked to witness the cold-blooded killing of several horses. However, many more areas of concern were found. Read the full report here...

USA Today Shines Light on Animals’ Angels Fight Against Horse Slaughter Industry

USA TODAY PHOTO

USA Today exposes the heartbreaking truth of the horse slaughter industry in a feature article, revealing for the first time on a national level the ruthless activities of kill buyers like Mike McBarron, who admitted to USA Today that horse slaughter, “is just a job” to him and that he’s “just trying to make a little money” by selling retired racehorses for slaughter.

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