03. February 2020

Argentina | Ibicuy, province of Entre Ríos | Acopio of “El Turco”

Dead horse at the roadside close to Turco’s farm.

Four other bodies are lying nearby. None has a gunshot wound to the head.

Severely malnourished horse left unattended, without water or shade.

There are hundreds of horse assembly centres in Argentina, so-called acopios. Today, we visit once again the acopio in Ibicuy with the sacred name of “Espiritu Santo”. It belongs to the slaughter horse dealer Jorge Saap, known as “El Turco”.

The temperature has reached 38°C, but the horses have no shade available, not even from trees. We see several horses that are severely emaciated. Just 600 meters from the farm, we find five dead horses in various stages of decomposition. Not one has a gunshot wound to the head. They were not put out of their misery. 

Instead, they died left to fend for themselves. The dealers do not invest money in the animals they supply for slaughter.

“El Turco” feels we are being a nuisance and calls the police. Our team’s car is searched and our details are taken.