We're thrilled that the omnibus spending bill was signed into law. While this outcome restores the ban on using federal monies to inspect horse slaughter facilities, it does NOT mean our horses are safe.  They still need our help.  This is no time to rest and we, at Animals' Angels, are steadily thinking ahead.  It is more important than ever to continue diligently monitoring our borders to document exactly WHY the transport for slaughter must be permanently banned.  We must continue to acquire factual documentation to show our lawmakers the atrocities that U.S. horses are regularly subjected to in the slaughter pipeline. We remain dedicated to exposing the harsh truth behind horse slaughter and the transport of slaughter-bound horses.  Until the SAFE Act (S. 541, H.R. 1094) is passed our horses are still at risk to these stark realities.

The Transport of Slaughter Horses from Bruce Rotz to the Richelieu Plant 

Bruce Rotz has been a mainstay in the slaughter industry for years and is one of Pennsylvania's most active kill buyers.  He ships nearly 400 horses to the Richelieu slaughter plant in Quebec each month.  Rotz is equally notorious for his frequent mishaps, including the Kelsey LeFever scandal and, more recently, the terrible accident in which a trailer-full of slaughter horses were all burned alive. Read more on the accident here. Our most recent investigation of Bruce Rotz & his shippers was disturbing to say the least.

Rotz Livestock Collecting Station

As Animals' Angels investigators arrived at Rotz's collecting station in Shippensburg, PA for our January 13th investigation, the blue tractor trailer of Kentucky's Waugh Livestock (DOT 2380769) pulled away from the loading ramp. Investigators believed that the Waugh trailer was unloaded with horses likely from the recent horse auction in Knoxville, TN. After unloading, the driver parked the trailer next to Rotz's obviously new semi in front of the barn. Although investigators monitored the collecting station, no further activity was seen. At 8:00 a.m. the following morning, investigators noted that the Waugh truck was gone and Rotz's new pickup truck and stock trailer were parked next to the semi. Shortly after noon, a black Vernla (DOT 935767) truck/trailer with Canadian plates arrived at the property. Moments later, a black Guy D'Anjou (DOT 1539636) truck/trailer, also with Canadian plates, arrived and immediately backed to the loading ramp. Investigators observed the loading, which completed at 1:15 p.m. The D'Anjou driver departed at 1:46 p.m. with investigators following. 

After unloading, the driver parked the trailer next to Rotz's obviously new semi in front of the barn.  Although investigators monitored the collecting station, no further activity was seen.  At 8:00 a.m. the following morning, investigators noted that the Waugh truck was gone and Rotz's new pickup truck and stock trailer were parked next to the semi.  Shortly after noon, a black Vernla (DOT 935767) truck/trailer with Canadian plates arrived at the property.  Moments later, a black Guy D'Anjou (DOT 1539636) truck/trailer, also with Canadian plates, arrived and immediately backed to the loading ramp.  Investigators observed the loading, which completed at 1:15 p.m.  The D'Anjou driver departed at 1:46 p.m. with investigators following.   

Following D'Anjou truck

Leaving Rotz's premises, the truck driver stopped twice within the first four hours of transport, yet failed to check the well-being of the horses. The investigators were able to check on the horses themselves when the driver grabbed dinner several hours later at 8:15 p.m. and witnessed that thankfully all the horses were still standing. However, they were holding their heads low and appeared very tired. Ten and a half hours into the drive, the driver pulled over to sleep for the night at 11:16 p.m., leaving the horses in the trailer -- thereby adding unnecessary hours to their already lengthy transport time.  At this point in the night, the temperature had dropped down to a frigid 23 degrees which had to add to the horses' distress.  When the driver began the next leg of the trip the following morning at 5:30 a.m., the horses had already been inside the trailer for more than 16 hours.  

Horse inside dark trailer

Trucks at CFIA Inspection Station

Investigators continued to follow the D'Anjou truck when it left the CFIA office at 9:29 a.m. until it arrived at the Richelieu plant at 11:15 a.m. stopping just once prior to arrival.  It was there that they observed the horses being unloaded. The total amount of time the horses had been in the trailer came to a shocking 22 hours.   

D'Anjou truck at Richelieu Plant

 

The Viande Richelieu plant is owned by Bouvry Exports (Calgary), and is a major supplier of horsemeat throughout Europe.  Although being subjected to EU regulations, the Richelieu plant has acquired a terrible reputation for animal abuse and improper handling.  Animals' Angels first began monitoring this slaughter facility in 2007 when we discovered workers using electric prods to move horses into the kill box.  In addition, it was uncovered that some of the horses were never even rendered unconscious before being hung and bled out.  The official stance given by Richelieu representatives is that transports of slaughter horses to their plant are always less than 12 hours, a claim which after our last investigation now has proven to be a lie. We will be presenting our recent findings to the EU as part of our rigorous 2014 campaign.

  

No Birds Singing in Georgia  

 

John Birdsong, one of Georgia's most prolific kill buyers has garnered quite a sordid history of violating the Commercial Transport of Equines to Slaughter Regulations.  He began earning his tarnished record when he used to ship horses to the Cavel plant in DeKalb, IL.  It was there that he was known to ship lame horses and non-segregated stallions. Birdsong also racked up a laundry list of fines for downed & dying horses arriving on his trailers.  Several cases were so severe that the injured horses had to be euthanized inside the trailer while at the slaughter plant.  

 

Birdsong horses arriving down at Cavel plant

 

Click here to review FOIA...  

 

Graphic video footage from Cavel (viewer discretion is advised) shows a grossly emaciated mare struggling to walk into the plant on three legs.  Birdsong never received more than a slap on the wrist and a measly $3,050 fine for all of this suffering.  Once the Cavel plant closed, Birdsong continued operating under a blanket of anonymity by using external haulers, such as Charles Carter (CO) and Randy Ray (KY), to transport his horses. Despite the fact that Birdsong's horses are now shipped to the Texas export pens, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has no official records of any of his horses.  He also was recently inspected by the Equine Division of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, who found severely emaciated horses (BCS 1.35) on his property but took no action against him.  

 

Downed horses inside trailer

  

Our most recent investigation of Birdsong took place in November 2013. Animals' Angels spotted Birdsong at the Knoxville Auction in Tennessee on November 23rd, his truck and trailer were seen parked with several very emaciated horses already on board.  Birdsong added newly purchased horses from the auction onto the trailer and left the parking lot at 7:20 p.m.

  

Read more on our November 2013 Knoxville investigation here.  

  

Birdsong truck at Knoxville Auction

 

Investigators followed his truck back to his collecting station in Carrollton, GA, where he keeps his horses prior to shipment to Mexico.  At the back of the property next to the pens is a composting area that Birdsong uses to discard dead horses.