Investigations by country:

08. August 2024

Operation in Argentina: Horse Slaughterhouses and Collection Points

[Translate to English:] Abgemagertes, geschwächtes Pferd kämpft ums Überleben.

Over the course of two weeks, we inspected three Argentine horse slaughterhouses and several collection points that supply them with horses. Once again, we found numerous injured, emaciated, dying, and dead horses. There was no medical care or humane euthanasia observed. The provision of food, water, and weather protection for the horses at the…

10. February 2024

[Translate to English:] Investigation in Argentinia: Bloodfarm Syntex

[Translate to English:] Blutstute mit offener, unbehandelter Wunde am Hinterbein.

In early February, we spent a week observing the Argentine blood farm Syntex, where blood is taken from pregnant mares for the PMSG preparation Fixplan, which is exported to Europe and Germany.

On the pastures of Syntex, we found sheer misery. Nearly every other mare was lame or had open wounds. For years, we have criticized the blood collection…

10. September 2023

[Translate to English:] Investigation in Argentinia: Horse Slaughterhouses Lamar and Land L

[Translate to English:] Pferde werden mit Besen und Fahnen malträtiert.

From January to September 2023, our field teams regularly monitored the EU-certified slaughterhouses Lamar and Land L in Argentina, which export horse meat to Switzerland. Many horses at these facilities are in a deplorable state: severely emaciated, badly injured, or sick. Animals in distress are left to die on their own. At Land L, we observe…

05. March 2022

PMSG investigation in Argentina: Blood farm Syntex

Inappropriate handling of the blood mares. Leather whips are used.

During a six-day investigation in Argentina, we observe the Syntex blood farm. This blood farm keeps thousands of mares from which blood is taken during pregnancy for the production of the fertility hormone PMSG. We had already filmed the violent handling of the mares during blood collection in both 2015 and 2018. There have been no improvements to…

11. February 2020

Argentina | Mercedes, province of Buenos Aires | Slaughterhouse Lamar

A new tarpaulin has recently been erected for visual protection.

We observe the Lamar slaughterhouse on two consecutive days. It is very hot, 34°C. The outdoor pens are crowded. The horses have no protection from the sun and heat, which contravenes applicable EU regulations.

Three months earlier, in November 2019, this place was inspected by auditors from the University of Louvain in Belgium on behalf of…

09. February 2020

Argentina | Venado Tuerto, province of Santa Fe | Acopio

Barbed wire can cause such serious injuries.

There are hundreds of horse assembly centres in Argentina, so-called acopios. Most are unknown to the European auditors. The Argentinian authorities select assembly centres for audits. Usually, they pick model farms. So, we decide to visit assembly centres that are hidden from inspection.

We pay a visit to the acopio outside the town of Venado…

09. February 2020

Argentina | Río Cuarto, province of Córdoba | Slaughterhouse Land L

Horses exposed to the rain and sinking deep into the mud.

When we arrive at the Land L slaughterhouse on Friday morning, it is raining heavily and will continue raining until Monday. The horses are standing crowded together in the open, soaking wet. There are shelters in some of the pens, but their size is insufficient for the number of horses. In a few places, we see hay lying in the mud. According to a…

06. February 2020

Argentina | Santiago Temple, Province of Córdoba | Acopio of Arroyo

Horses kept without food and without any shade from the sun.

We drive to the acopio (horse assembly centre) in Santiago Temple, which is vast. We have been here many times before. What we find is always the same. In the middle of the acopio, there is a huge pile of carcasses with hundreds of dead horses.

A storm has passed recently. Trees and branches are lying around. The holding pens and feeding places…

03. February 2020

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

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

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…