Slaughter Auctions -- An Overview

For my senior project, I decided to write about the connection of U.S. slaughter auctions and Mexican slaughterhouses.  Below is one of the sections of my paper translated into English.  These posts are better read in order.  This is Post #2.

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The first step in the process of horse slaughter is the sale of horses in slaughter auctions.  The horses that are sold in the auctions are old, sick, stolen or badly behaved.  Often times, retired race horses are sold in the auctions (Finch, 2012).  Also, some families that bring their horse to auction do not realize that by entering the auction ring, the horse has a chance of being bought for slaughter (Spears, 2017).  In the auctions, horses are put in small rings that are dirty and packed with way too many horses.  They do not separate the sick or the pregnant (Finch, 2012).  Also, they keep horses that are aggressive toward other horses.  Those horses start fights with more docile horses and injure them.  These horses are scared and are in a highly stressful situation.  Often, this is translated into their behavior at the auction (Sugarcreek horse auction, 2014).  At the auction, the workers use small flags as whips in order to move horses.  They hit the horses and pinch them in the head or in the eyes (Finch, 2012).  The horses normally do not have water or hay and the floors are made of concrete.

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There are thousands of horses that go for slaughter each year and the numbers aren't slowing.  If you would like to donate to save horses, please go to this link: Gofundme.com/saved

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References: 

Finch, J. (2012, Aug 08). Horse slaughter: revealing the truth, part-two-the process. Retrieved from http://www.habitatforhorses.org/horse-slaughter-revealing-the-truth-part-two-the-process/

Spears, T. A. (2017). Mexican horse slaughterhouses: Bloody work: Mexican slaughterhouses. Retrieved from http://www.ontheroadin.com/mexican-horse-slaughterhouses/

Sugarcreek horse auction, OH 1/31/14.  (2014, Jan 31). Retrieved from http://www.animalsangels.org/investigations/horses/sugarcreek-horse-auction-oh-1-31-14

All photos are courtesy of Happy Tails Farm & Rescue Center and the Thunder Ranch Horse Rescue Project.