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THE DENNIS CHAVES SLAUGHTER HORSE FEEDLOT IN NEW MEXICO--Investigation Updates
from Shirley Le Garde
----- Original Message -----
From: Sonja Meadows
The Dennis Chavez Slaughter Horse Feedlot in New Mexico
A note from Sonja |
Six years of cruelty investigations have made it absolutely clear: Horse slaughter means a free pass, in effect, kill buyer amnesty for abuse, neglect and animal cruelty. But never has one single location screamed horse slaughter's cruelty more than at our March 10 investigation. Horse after horse after horse - yet completely typical of what goes on unabated in the slaughter pipeline. No feeling person could help but be heartbroken, and very angry.
But it also needs your help--to say we care, it matters, and pressure authorities to make this matter to them. The suffering of these horses was not useless if we make a difference for better treatment for others to come, and punish those responsible. Please support our call for action at the bottom of the article. Your voices have made a difference before; please make a difference now. |
The Feedlot |
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Investigators knew the history of kill buyer Dennis Chavez beforehand:
After a walk-thru of the auction house pens, investigators noted a vast empty pen area, and behind this additional pens. Back here they find approximately 700 horses. Almost all are extremely thin with body scores well below 2. Many have serious injuries.
"I've never seen horses like that," said one of the investigators. "Suffering was bad, busted up faces, even body scores of 1or less, and the injuries and wounds. There was so much."
In one of the first of the back pens, all are geldings and stallions that appeared to be recently gelded. Ungelded horses are rejected at the border because Mexican slaughter plants do not accept stallions. Dried blood covers the back legs, penises are extremely swollen and the horses stand motionless with heads down. One horse's penis is grotesquely swollen, strangulated looking, as if something has been wound tightly around it several times.
Whatever the cause of his scarred and blinded condition, this horse has been dealt with harshly, yet even then he licked the investigator's hand.
Investigators observed from a distance to see if auction staff, the vet, or the livestock inspector would come. After a long hour, nothing.
Eventually livestock manager BJ Winchester came in and reluctantly began to walk very slowly to the back pens with the investigators. He was quick to defend Chavez, calling the horses 'rescues,' that Chavez was trying to 'nurture them back to health,' and that he was giving them, 'a chance to live.' He confirmed that the horses are Chavez's property.
Winchester became angry when investigators continued to insist that the suffering and dying horses should be euthanized. 'Nothing will be done right away,' he said. He asked if they were 'animal rights' and asserted he would not interrupt the auction. When they finally got to the last pen, the grey mare that was in so much distress had died. Vultures had already landed near her. Winchester had no reaction.
The impasse was broken when an auction worker arrived saying he could put the horses down right away. The 'inspector' no longer had a say and the horses were euthanized.
The rest of the horses in all kinds of terrible conditions will get no help, not from Winchester or the vet that no one can find.
In New Mexico the livestock inspector is supposed to inspect and enforce cruelty laws. In itself this seems an unworkable and inadequate premise, made even clearer by BJ Winchester. It is difficult to imagine what it would take for him to file cruelty charges.The NM Livestock Board is appointed by the governor, 9 people representing livestock industry interests. These 9 also hire the inspectors who are charged with enforcing laws for livestock.
AA has sent all evidence by certified mail and has not received any response yet.
Watch the video...(Warning: Images are graphic and might be disturbing to some viewers)
Read the full length report...
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Please help us to seek justice for these horses and hold Dennis Chavez & BJ Winchester accountable! |
Please contact the NM Livestock Board:
Gary Mora, Supervisor to BJ Winchester 550-927-2509
Myles Culbertson, Executive Director 505-841-6161
Bobby Pierce, Deputy Director 505-841-6167
Tell them to fully investigate this incident and BJ Winchester's actions. Ask them to initiate cruelty charges against Dennis Chavez.
Please also contact Attorney General Gary King:
http://www.nmag.gov/office/contact.aspx
He deserves to know both that enforcement of humane laws by livestock inspectors like BJ Winchester is a farce, and that Dennis Chavez seems to have a free pass when it comes to abuse and neglect of horses in his care that he owns. |