14. August 2022

Investigation in the US: Horse auction in Attalla

Horse with a fresh forehead injury.

Severely mistreated horse covered in scars.

Emaciated and stressed mare defending her foal, biting, and kicking other horses.

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 in very poor condition, including one horse with bloody scars and cuts that have not yet begun to heal. It looks like it has been badly beaten and that the excessive use of spurs has injured the animal's flanks. In another pen, we spot a horse with a fresh forehead injury, along with a skinny Mustang. We also observe several mares with foals. One of the mares tries to defend her foal and therefore kicks and bites the other horses. She should have been separated together with her foal.

By the time the sale begins at 2 pm, many of the horses appear to be overly tired and lethargic. Perhaps from a long, stressful journey to the auction venue. The horses are brought here from different regions of the USA. The auction continues well into the evening. When it is all over, many of the buyers immediately load up their exhausted horses and drive away. When we return to the auction venue the following day, we realise that there are still many horses inside the barn.

Together with Animals’ Angels USA, we will continue to monitor the conditions at this auction and will forward violations to the competent authorities.