Report Supplied by Animal’s Angels
T & M Horse Auction, Smiths Grove, KY 6/25/11
Animals’ Angels investigators arrived at the large, bi-monthly horse auction at 4:00pm. It was a hot & humid day with temperatures of 90 degrees. While fans were installed in the barn, no fans were running, which created a very stale and dusty atmosphere. No water or food was provided for the animals.
Approx. 300 horses, 15 donkeys & mules and 10 minis were present. Three mares had foals by their side. While all the riding horses were put in front pens close to the overlooking catwalk, all the “slaughter” horses were put in 4 large pens all the way in the back, out of reach from the public eye. When investigators checked on these horses, they noticed that several were emaciated and many very thin. One horse was observed with a fresh forehead injury that was bleeding profusely. All the “slaughter” horses were moved through a narrow chute, 3 at a time, where kill buyer Tim Ryan took their blood for Coggins testing. The handling around the chute was rough and many of the horses did not want to go in there.
Several kill buyers were present and ready to buy. Ryan, who appears to manage the sale, had brought his large stock trailer. R & R livestock arrived with a semi and single deck trailer at 5:18pm. The truck & trailer of William Middleton was parked in front of the barn.
Registered horse /riding horse sale started at 6:00pm and continued well into the night. The auctioneer took a very long time trying to sell each individual horse. After the sale, when the majority of the public had left, the “slaughter” horses were sold. Animals’ Angels will continue to monitor this auction.
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Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
When courage is needed, ask yourself, “If not me, who? If not now, when?”
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How can a Coggins drawn by a non-veterinarian be valid?
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Liz, that is a very good question. Maybe some so-called vet is letting Ryan use his name .
This is a disgrace for Kentucky. I will send this to the head of the KY Dept. of Agriculture although since it’s not against the law I doubt if anything will be done. They never did anything about the awful auction near Louisville at Sheperdville and no humane society ever did either.
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thanks, Barb
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How can they be sure those ‘slaughter’ horses aren’t someone’s stolen riding animal?
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yes indeed. A registered vet should be on the premisses right? Keep us posted
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Thank you Animal’s Angels. Your efforts are so needed and so appreciated!
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I admire your courage, AA, to document the goings-on at auctions like this. I don’t know if I have the composure. What can we do to make laws enforced and horses treated kindly? I have fought this battle for so many years and we are still fighting.
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Where was this at, did I miss it?
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Animal’s Angels – God bless you – will humans ever think of anything other than
money and profit?
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