Investigations by Topics:

09. April 2023

Investigation in Canada: Horse feedlot of the Bouvry slaughterhouse

No protection from the elements.

We have been observing the feedlot of the Bouvry slaughterhouse in Alberta regularly since 2012. Here, horses are fattened for six months before slaughter. At each inspection, we have found serious animal welfare violations. In April 2023, we are again on-site, together with our US partner Animals’ Angels, in order to verify if the situation for…

27. September 2022

Investigation in the US: Bouvry’s horse assembly centre in Shelby

Success: Bouvry's assembly centre in Shelby (USA) has ceased operations.

The Bar S Feedlot in Shelby, Montana, can hold up to 1,800 animals. It serves as a horse assembly centre for the Canadian slaughter company Bouvry. Slaughter horses from all over the United States are gathered here before being transported to Bouvry's slaughterhouse in Calgary (Canada). There, the horses destined for the EU market stay in feedlots…

15. September 2022

Investigation in the US: Horse auction in New Holland

Horse with deformed left front leg.

Together with our partner Animals' Angels USA, we visit the weekly horse sale in New Holland, Pennsylvania. Again, we are here to check the conditions of the animals during the sale and to monitor the kill buyers’ activities.

It is a slow sale day, over half the barn is empty. We note that there are a lot of emaciated horses, and several have…

14. August 2022

Investigation in the US: Horse auction in Attalla

Horse with a fresh forehead injury.

We visit a horse auction in the United States together with Animals’ Angels USA. The Guy Bynum Auction takes place monthly in Attalla, Alabama. We observe the gathering of some of the largest kill buyers and horse brokers in the country and document an appalling list of abuse and neglect.

There are about 150 horses in the pens. Several animals are…

01. August 2022

Investigation in the US: Horse auction in Kalona

Pens and the raceway towards the auction ring.

Together with our partner Animals' Angels USA, we visit the monthly horse auction in the small town of Kalona near Iowa City. We check the conditions of the animals during the sale and monitor the activities of the kill buyers. The auction remains one of the most active slaughter sales in the country. Large scale kill buyers that ship horses both…

07. February 2021

Canada | Alberta | Feedlots of Bouvry slaughterhouse

No protection from the cold – not even for heavily pregnant mares.

Together with our North American partners, the Canadian Horse Defence Coalition and Animals’ Angels USA, we have been documenting the horse feedlots at the Bouvry slaughterhouse in Alberta for many years. Here, thousands of horses are fattened with grain feed to their maximum slaughter weight. Our previous investigations have uncovered tremendous…

05. March 2020

Australia | Horsemeat imports: Interview with informant Kathrin

We are talking to informant Kathrin about her two yearlings that were wrongfully slaughtered at Meramist abattoir.

We meet informant Kathrin (name changed), who wishes to remain anonymous. She tells us the story of how a woman acted as a front to obtain her two yearlings Peach and Archie by deception for a kill buyer.

Due to health problems, Kathrin decided to rehome her yearlings Peach and Archie to a good new home. A woman in Queensland had promised to look…

04. March 2020

Australia | Caboolture, Queensland | Horsemeat imports: Meramist abattoir

Electric shocks to the anus are routine (photo: confidential source).

Our team receives footage and an analysis of an undercover investigation at the Meramist abattoir. Today we meet with an informant who must remain anonymous for safety reasons. Covert cameras recorded the activities at the Meramist abattoir on 22 randomly selected slaughter days over a period of two years. Up to eight cameras documented the passage…

04. March 2020

Australia | New South Wales | Horsemeat imports: Interview with informant Margaret

Informant Margaret explains us the horse vendor declaration form.

In a small town in New South Wales, we meet Margaret, who has been investigating about the slaughter horse trade for a long time. She explains our team members that the current system of traceability for slaughter horses in Australia is unreliable, because it relies exclusively on the honesty of the owners and kill buyers. Margaret has previously…