Story supplied by Animal’s Angels
Dennis Chavez Ships 400 Horses a Month to Slaughter
Upon arrival at the Southwest Livestock auction premises, investigators noted that there were approx. 500 horses in the pen area. Several trucks and empty single & double deck trailers were parked in front of the pen area. A sign next to the driveway advertised the auctions weekly cattle and horse sale, held every Saturday at noon. Several of the horses in the pen area had auction tags still attached to them. Some of the horses were thin. According to owner/shipper papers recently obtained via Freedom of Information Act Request, Chavez ships close to 400 horses every month to slaughter in Mexico. Records also indicate that many of the horses in his shipments end up at the municipal slaughter plant in Juarez, which is not approved by the European Union and still uses the Puntilla knife.
Dennis Chavez has lost his DOT certification due to numerous violations. He has also had numerous violations with USDA/APHIS.
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Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Just look at all the animals in holding. This guy is the piece of crap we need to put out of business. I can just see his smudge smile. Probably paying off the authorities. Then to send the animals to the worst painful death. Makes me sick!
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Another Despicable piece of Human crap, These people are the lowest cruelest , most deplorable of the Human Race, each one of them is worse then the other, I cannot believe these people have ever felt or have given love to any living breathing creature, They are a menace to Society and should be removed from it………………….They are not only a danger for horses , but also a danger to anything and everything that crosses their path, they have no scruples, they will have slaughtered anything that they get paid to eliminate for money………………..
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well said arlene!
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I just wrote to the Governor’s office, heading the form on the “CONTACT” webpage with the link to this article. I cited my equestrian pursuits and my interest in bringing them to NM. Then I said, SCRATCH THAT! If they are going to let this happen in their state, I said forget it.
I suggest a web based boycott of NM, NM products, NM tourism, etc. until this changes. I also gave them the link to my professional organization, EAGALA, and said I was going to send the link to them and tell them to do the same. We are in all 50 states, and 38 countries.
At the very least, write and say you are dropping your interest with NM. They need to get a lot of emails. Straight to the governor’s office.
Eff em for allowing a dirty business to go on under their noses. Eff em.
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This is what needs to happen anyone transporting horses for slaughter through a State from each border it should be a federal offense,they should be arrest immediately, this would all but stop Slaughter , great beginning , get these States in their pockets , they arnt going to like that at all…………
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I agree with sending massive amounts of emails to the Governor and tourism office but hold off on the complete boycott of NM–not everyone in NM condones this. I have been working since May 2007 to get horse slaughter banned and I will keep working until it is banned. I do, however, agree that Dennis Chavez is a piece of crap and needs to be put out of business–at least the horse slaughter export business.
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AA is just AWESOME! Keep up the great work of exposing just how screwed up our animal-agri business can be allowed to be…not all, but more than tolerable, in my opinion.
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What part of Americans do not eat horse , never have never will dont they all understand , We as Americans consider Our Horse , as our Heritage , they have never been livestock or shall they ever be livestock, horses in America are suppose to be Protected by Law, since when \does any Official deem it is there right to Slaughter them, Horses are so loved and respected by all Americans, so much so The ROAM ACT 1971 , The American Horses are the Symbols of FREEDOM, anyone disrespecting that should be arrested………………. What horses have done in the past and will do in the Future for America needs to be acknowledged for what it has been throughout history and what it will be in the future, any official who doesnt clearly see that needs to be evaluated as to his or her worth…………………….
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RT:
THIS STORY AND ANY OTHER MATERIAL ON DENNIS CHAVEZ SHOULD BE PUT TOGETHER AND SENT TO ALL OF THE TV STATIONS, CONGRESS, SENATE, ETC. I SUGGEST THAT A SPECIAL PACKAGE GO TO THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS AS HE PLANS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT THEN HE SHOULD CLEAN UP THIS CHAVEZ, THE SHERIFF, AND ALL OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CROOKED RING.
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What is imoortant here is the report that most of the horses are sent to the municipal slaughterhouse at Jaurez. There are a couple of locations some for approved EU meat and conditions and not. Juarez is not approved – meaning they have deplorable inhumane conditions at the slaughterhouse AND they do not cull for drugs. And there are probably other fraudulent situations, like blind, injured or with foal. Chavez doesn’t care – he gets money however he can get it. There is a photo of a trailer followed by AA, a horse looking out the back – terror in its eyes. Please send your letters to your senators.
The horses are going into the worst slaughter imaginable. PLEASE rattle the cage of your senator, find a link to the Juarez slaughterhouse and send a photo as part of a fax or email, if allowed. Or just quote part of the reports. It is nauseating. We have got to show those who don’t know.
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This slumlord of the animal-agri business is NOTORIOUS!….and authorities, low and high allow it to continue.
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We need to get the current laws enforced as the USDA is suppose to be inspecting these loads. If the government agencies would just do their jobs then things wouldn’t be so bad. The KB’s still can transport their victims but would have to provide the proper paperwork. It looks like Chavez is getting around the EU paperwork because he is shipping to one of the only slaughterhouses that is not EU certified. An of course this is the worst one in the world. This slaughter house needs to get shutdown.
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I believe (and I need this validated/cleared up) the USDA does not inspect loads re: transport because the funding of the killfloor in the US has not been, and remains unfunded.
Now my understanding was that only KILLFLOOR INSPECTIONS were not funded.
There is a crawl on Horseback that is from the AAEP that asks for more money for transport inspections….but be careful, this may be a ruse to get the money for killfloor appropriations. I don’t understand why they are even related to one another in the first place. We had shipping out of ports and across borders when the plants were open here.
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Everyone is absolutely correct! Most of this people do not care until someone at a higher level starts skawking. The Dept of Transportation in each state should be targeted to since I believe they have the jurisdiction over the industry in each state. If we all can get at least one friend to piggy back and also send an email, I think it would be great. This is another reason to keep contacting our Legislators to prove that America’s horses are being tortured until they die. Thanks for passing on the info regarding New Mexico. I will get
on the stick and start making some phone calls and sending more emails. I
think at this point in time we need to make a gigantic push to get the law passed once and for all. I have a gal who is a member of the Arabian Horse
Assoc. who is running a rescue in Texas. Jennifer Williams run the Blue Bonnet Equine Rescue if anyone is in that area and could help her please
send her an email: Jenn@bluebonnetequine.org. Someone said the tide is
turning and I think so. Perhaps we should send an email to the President of
Mexico asking him why he is accepting American horses when they are tainted with so many cancer causing agents. There was already an article on one of
the farm bureau websites regarding some hispanics that became ill due to the
chemical residue that remained in the tissue of the meat. When are people going to wake up to the fact that horse meat will kill them or make them very
ill. Its obvious that the “Killer Pipeline” cares nothing about the individuals or the families that consuming the meat in the end. The whole thing is just disgusting!! We must pass SB1176 and stop the plants from ever opening in the US and free American horses from this torture and inhumane treatment. At the same time, our breed associations have to a better job of slowing the breeding of so many horses. Sad to say, but not every colt that is born makes a great stallion. Good stallions make wonderul geldings..
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Sadly, the Mexican Republic has turned into the Wild West on crack.
I doubt El Presidente is concerned about how animals are butchered in his country….he is overwhelmed with corruption, drug cartels and the economy.
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This is a disgrace to America, all horse slaughter must be stopped ; MORE INFO -ON HORSE SLAUGHTERS CHAMBER OF HORRORS :
http://wflendangeredstreamlive.org/savingamericashorses.html
http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/
http://www.awionline.org/ht/d/sp/i/11222/pid/11222
http://www.americansagainsthorseslaughter.com/
http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/
http://www.animallawcoalition.com/
http://www.animalsangels.org/
http://www.madeleinepickens.com/
http://www.defendhorsescanada.org/
http://www.savingamericashorses.org/home.html
warning graphic info;
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/horse_slaughter/
http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/
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I agree so much that this guy and all the other idiots that think that there is nothing wrong with what they are doing has to be stopped. You creep,have a heart.
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Unfortunately, Dennis Chavez is providing a services that many horse “owners” are requiring so they can DUMP, DISPOSE, GET RID OF, an animal they no longer want to care for. Care costs money and people rationalize that the animal no longer is valuable, in the sense that the person or persons feel a responsibility to provide care, shelter, food, and interaction with the animal. People do the same to dogs and cats all the time. Just look at the shelters. So, there is a spay/neuter requirements for all dogs and cats in the ABQ area as an attempt to stop the over population of unwanted kittens and puppies. But, this does not apply anywhere in the US to horses and this is the reason there are so many unwanted, neglected, abused, abandoned, and destroyed horses in the country. Until there is national legislation that reins in breeding of horses, we will continue to see people “dump” horses at auction houses across the country…drive away and leave the horse or horses to their fate. The owner won’t be there to see it!
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You are right Patricia! There are people that want a cute puppy or kitten until it is no longer cute or a beautiful horse until they find out the work or cost involved. Unfortunately these people do not feel it is a life long commitment to own any animal. It is their responsibility to care for them. Even if they are facing a financial hardship, they should be able to find homes for their pets. In the case of horses going to slaughter it is pure greed! They want to get that last dollar! They like to pretend the horse will live in some fairy tale make believe ranch and live happily ever after. The horse traders are also to blame, they sell horses to people that are not even suited for them and bute the horses to hide lameness. The new buyer then cannot find anyone who wants the horse and they send them to auction. Don’t even get me started on the race horse industry!
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I AM TOTALLY & COMPLETELY SICK TO MY STOMACH, THINK I MAY HAVE TO PUKE!!!!!!!! WORDS SIMPLY CANNOT DESCRIBE THE FEELING DOWN DEEP IN MY STOMACH!!!!
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Dennis Chaves is a monster! Anyone who has watched YouTube video of horse slaughter has seen his trucks with his CHAVEZ logo on them. Some of the cattle trucks I hear even hide the horses among the cattle! Mr. Chavez needs to do prison time!
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When you purchase a horse, automatically you become its caretaker for life, just as when you have children, both of these are choices we make,both are decisions of love, if along the way either becomes something you can no longer handle , then it is again your charge, and you must be able to make the best decisions for either of them,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,For neither it is slaughter, both are your charge and you are the caretaker and responsible…………….. thats why we all have brains , it is to think things out before we act on them…………….A life is a life no matter what kind ,if it breathes ………therefore all decisions concerning that life must be made with the same passion , you started out with, nothing will ever change in that respect………………
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I would also like to point out that when aNimals Angels find violations, they take it to law enforcement, publish reports and photos and contact information. They are the MOST vital connection we have in this fight.
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The article above says chavez lost his DOT certification due to numerous violations. He has also had numerous violations with USDA/APHIS. If that is accurate then why is he still being allowed to transport anything but his sorry self anywhere let alone take living beings across an international border for commercial purposes? Why hasn’t his whole operation been shut down? Who is getting paid off under the table to allow such heinious scum to continue? It doesn’t look like Mexico has an exclusive corner on corruption in their government. I admire and share the passion all of you express for the well being of these horses and all horses. Too bad we have thus far been unable to get most of our elected representatives that actually have the power to stop these kinds of operations to feel even a smidgeon of care and get up off their plump behinds to do something about it. In my humble opinion chavez, his ilk, and anyone that would work for such abominable scum should not be accorded the privilege of operating any business in this country since they have no apparent redeeming attributes or honest ethics.
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Hello Wambli Okiye, havent seen you here for a while hope all is good with you, Glad you ae here all is right again we need you !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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We have two legislative tools available. The Moran Amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations Budget. This is under attack by Wallis et al – who are using the GAO report to persuade representatives to vote for funding to “enforce” humane laws (like they ever did). Your representatives’ support of the Moran Amendment and voting on the budget with it intact is a brick in the wall – the budget as amended defunds payroll for inspection of horsemeat for human consumption. The other is S.1176 (17 co-sponsors as of today)known as The American Horse Slaughter Prohibition Act of 2011. This bill is in committee (Senate Science, Commerce and Transportation) – and Sen. Kerry is a member of this committee, also a cosponsor. We have to stay after our senators to cosponsor and move this bill out of committee back to the floor for voting.
Horse slaughter = corruption, fraud, deceit, and betrayal. Mr. Chavez joins his circle of “vultures” who are all running with accumulated fines and violations but allowed to “function” by USDA, APHIS and DOT. Please no compromise, they all have to be cut off.
It was brought to my attention that burros and mules are still vulnerable. When you call or write, please insist the species be amended to “equids.” You know if we get the horses protected, the breeders and transporters will then bring along mules or burros. the ba@$%rds!
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Great point Jan, Yes Our Burros and Mules should be considered equines……………………………….. You know I have always thought of them as equines!!!!!! just smaller……
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Just saw the alert, Monday, Sen Kirk did introduce S.1281 which would federally prohibit transport of any horse or equid (long neck) for ANY reason in double decker trailers. And, of note to those observing contractors during roundups, trailers are to have 7-8 FEET of floor to ceiling space. Haven’t seen that on occasion.
let’s make them all accountable. Many think double deckers are outlawed.
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Every minute detail must be followed, they should and will be accountable for everything , according to the law, Lets give them Hell………………..every Law concerning our equines must be followed to the T, if not we pursue it it .!!!!! We have a Smokin Gun…………………………..
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I’ve seen a transporter with a double decker with horses on board while I was traveling with my husband who is a tractor trailer driver long haul. When this driver of the double decker noticed that I was “looking” for his truck and trailer he “hid” it between other trucks that were parked in this rest area. I had my camera with me, as I was going to take pictures of the cab of the truck that shows the name of the company, the address of the company, the truck number, and the trailer number so that I could call it in to the state’s DOT as this truck driver wasn’t anywhere close to a border state to cross over into Canada or Mexico. So therefore, he was breaking the law by transporting horses across state lines in a double decker “cattle trailer”. I asked my husband to help me look for it, but he had to go to the bathroom. When he came back, I had to go or he would have left me. When I came out from the bathroom, I saw this guy leaving the parking area. He had parked way back down the hill from us in the RV parking area where I couldn’t see him. The way he knew I was looking for him was when he was in front of us, I had my camera out trying to take pictures of him from the rear and as we passed him. Well, as my husband passed him, he saw me and began to slow down. We moved over in front of him and then got off at the rest area. When we parked, he drove passed us and I couldn’t see where he went and I thought he did a “drive through” of the rest area when I couldn’t find him anywhere. Then I saw him again when he pulled out from the RV parking and took off like a Bat out of you know where!!! The guys that haul those poor horses are just as much to blame as the kill buyers that sell them over the border!!! They’re sneeky and devious! He knew what I was trying to do and that was why he was trying to stay clear of me. Is this Chavis guy in New Mexico or Texas? You guys have got me confused. If it’s NM, there is a NM Congressman that sent a letter to the whole Congress concerning the slaughter issue last year. I have a copy of it saved on my computer at home. Maybe he could help with talking to the Governor.
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Are there any names and addresses of officials for us to send letters?
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Speaking of horse slaughter, here’s an article, shared with me by a friend, about a new novel centered on that sad subject: http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/the-last-good-horse-reading/Content?oid=2341692
The product description on Amazon.com is riveting:
“Imagine a world without the great American mustang. Visualize our western parks and grasslands void of all wild horses. We are getting close, very close to that imagery today. Consider this: in 1914, there were roughly four-million wild mustangs in the United States; culling and slaughtering has reduced this number to less than one-hundred thousand. What is being done to our remaining untamed herds in this supposed enlightened age of ours is truly a travesty. Author, David Martin Anderson, journeyed to Montana’s Pryor Mountain to study the last of the Spanish jennets still roaming free but soon to become extinct. The fruit of that labor is the novel, THE LAST GOOD HORSE. The story, itself, transitions between the 1930s and modern-day Montana as the protagonist, Billy Bartell, is near-death and eager to tell the truth about the dark days of his youth when he rounded up horses for the slaughterhouse. It was in 1939 that seventeen-year-old Billy leaves home to seek his fortune. For Billy the choice is simple: stay in Billings working the family funeral home or work the Pryor Mountain meadowland capturing wild mustangs and living out a lifelong dream among the last of the old-West cowboys. Ironically, Billy substitutes one death trade for another, for not only does he master rounding up horses, he learns how to slaughter and render the animals by the thousands and pack their carcasses in iced-down boxcars. Through it all Billy must come to terms with his newfound craft. You see, he has made a pact with the devil, one Captain Belial. Getting out of a pact with the devil is never easy especially when you are seventeen and possess a conscience. THE LAST GOOD HORSE runs much deeper than the morality play it might appear on the surface. The story is not only a study in the horse extermination practices of the 1930’s but also a revisionist look at American morals of that same bygone era. In 1939, America stood on the brink of a new awakening. America teetered between innocence and sinfulness brought on by a world stage in disarray. Billy Bartell represents that America, standing with one foot in heaven and one foot in hell. He has lost himself to the lure of money and debauchery and the need to flee a miserable home life at any cost. In the end, he has choices to make to salvage his soul, for at age seventeen he is neither child nor adult. He is Dante. He is everyman searching for heaven.”
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Still learning about the workings of WordPress. After clicking on a member profile to a question, I was directed to Gravatar – an account I’d forgotten I had. Decided to post rather than ask my question privately. I read RT’s blog daily and have for years. I haven’t posted much, so a little introduction: I’m anti-slaughter, horse lover, boycotter of beef and long time advocate for both the “Unwanted” and Wild Horses/Burros. I’ve not advocated as I should for some time because to be quite blunt, life has been pretty unbearable. Big move coming up and there is a local concern I need help with. Lots of horses nearby that demand investigation, and I do mean lots. I have zero investigative experience so any and all help/advice would be greatly appreciated!
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