Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Holding New Holland Accountable

Animals' Angels

Shocking Abuse Uncovered

Imagine walking into a sale barn to see a horse lying on the floor with a bloated stomach and its head tied tightly to a feed trough. Imagine it was so incapacitated that it didn't even stand up or protect itself when auction visitors kick it as they walk by. Then imagine that next to this horse were other horses in equal or worse condition. This is exactly what investigators for  Animals' Angels found when they attended recent sales at New Holland Auction in Pennsylvania. What they witnessed was outrageous and shocking. Throughout the holding pens were horses with swollen limbs, festering skin abrasions, devastating pelvic injuries, horses so emaciated it looked as though the poor things hadn't eaten in weeks, and babies sold with debilitating septic joint infections.

Sadly this is not the first time we have seen horses in such pitiful conditions at this sale.  And if an injured horse seems to be receiving too much attention by visitors, it is simply removed to a dark, out of the way part of the barn by auction personnel, away from prying eyes.
     
 

 

 
On February 16, 2015, our investigators found piles of dead goats and sheep. Next to one of the "dead piles," was a sheep on the verge of death, left to die in the subzero temperatures. Sadly, our volunteers quickly realized the sheep was not alone in her tragic end.  A goat had also been thrown away.

He was unable to get up because something was very wrong with his legs.  This is the fate of animals that can't be sold at New Holland. They are tossed on to the "dead pile" like trash and forgotten while they slowly wither away and die, their last hours spent suffering and in pain.
 

 
Unfortunately, what the investigators observed is by far no isolated incident. In 2007, the auction was convicted of animal cruelty based on evidence provided by AA for almost the exact same crimes. Animals were ignored, left for dead, and quickly forgotten. All is not lost however! The auction was convicted and can be again! 

We were outraged then and we are just as outraged now at how cruel some humans can be to their fellow living creatures. Heartbroken, but determined to end their misery, our investigators intervened on behalf of the poor goat and sheep left suffering and barely alive in the frigid temps.  We contacted the local police to step in and to euthanize the languishing animals.

It is time to hold New Holland Auction accountable for the poor treatment of the animals in their care. Cruelty charges have been filed. Animals' Angels investigators will gladly take the stand as witnesses in the trial scheduled against the New Holland Auction on April 29th. We're gratified that our work in the field and willingness to testify will help obtain justice for these animals.

We will keep you advised on the outcome of the court case and once the legalities have concluded, we will release our full report on this investigation.   

 

Will YOU be there for the Animals?

As shown by the New Holland Auction and many others, our investigations are a much needed resource to not only spread awareness, but to garner justice for the animals. However, we cannot do it without you!

 

As you know, horses and livestock around the country are continually subjected to horrific treatment at the hands of heartless human beings who only see them as expendable products sold for profit. Their lives are cruelly exploited for money without any consideration for their health and well-being which leads to immense suffering. These individuals, these businesses, do not care what is in the best interest of the animals; they care only for the best interest of their wallets.     

 

Animals' Angels formed with the idea of fighting against these injustices. But no matter how hard we fight, we need your help to succeed!  Cruelty to animals is something that is typically hidden from view.  Nowhere is this more  evident than with farm animals and slaughter-bound horses. Without pictures and documentation to tell the animals' story, they would undoubtedly suffer even more at the hands of such people. The more we bring these atrocities to light and out into the open the less the violators can hide.
    
   

Our biggest goal at Animals' Angels is to be out in the field investigating auctions, slaughter plants, feedlots, and livestock trucks as much as possible. The shocking results from our investigations have proven over and over again to spur positive change -- but we need your support to continue these projects!  Not only do we need you, the animals need you!  Even operating on our shoe-string budget,  investigations are costly ventures to undertake. But they are absolutely imperative if we want to help our fellow animals.

I hope we can rely on your help and support. Your generous donation would allow us to be in the field with the animals, to help comfort them, to tell their stories, and to ensure that those responsible for their suffering are held accountable.

 


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