Source: Equine Welfare Alliance
The horses were reportedly destined for the Viande Richelieu Meat, Inc.
EWA (Chicago) – An estimated 30 horses died in a truck fire on I-81 in Lisle, NY, Monday night. According to police the truck was driven by Clarence Phelps of Watertown, but the owner of the horses was kill buyer Bruce Rotz. When contacted about the accident by Equine Welfare Alliance, Rotz indicated he would have no comment, saying only “if it burned it burned.”
Local reports say the truck caught fire and the driver stopped but neither he nor first responders were able to extinguish the flames. No reason was given for keeping the horses trapped in the trailer as it burned. The truck was pulled over in New York on March 13, 2013 and ordered out of service until repairs and maintenance could be performed. Nine violations were noted in 2011, one of which was a discharged or unsecured fire extinguisher.
The horses were reportedly destined for the Viande Richelieu Meat, Inc. slaughterhouse in Massueville, Quebec. Local reports misidentified the destination as a “rendering plant”, an operation that recycles dead animals and animal products into protein based compounds. Richelieu is not a renderer but a plant that slaughters horses for their meat.
Rotz routinely buys horses from the weekly New Holland, PA horse auction and other sources and delivers them to Canada for slaughter for human consumption. For its part, the Richelieu plant has been involved in multiple scandals.
In February of 2010, the Richelieu plant was embroiled in controversy when an undercover video was released showing horses being shot multiple times with a 22 caliber, bolt action rifle. The images of the horses struggling after improperly placed shots, while the shooter casually walked back and forth to a table to reload his rifle, were seen around the world.
More recently, Canadian slaughter houses, which depend on the US for an estimated 60% of the horses they slaughter, came under scrutiny when testing showed horses carcasses contained the banned substance phenylbutazone.
The meat from Canadian horse slaughter houses is sold mostly in the EU, where horse meat has been found in a wide variety of products marked as “beef” since January.
Over 59,000 US horses were slaughtered in Canada in 2012 according to the USDA. Federal legislation is pending that would ensure our food supply and exports to foreign countries remain safe by banning the “sale or transport of equines or equine parts” in interstate or foreign commerce for human consumption.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has stated on several occasions the need for Congress to find an alternative to slaughtering horses.
Related Articles
- Video: Understanding the Forces Behind Horse Slaughter (rtfitchauthor.com)
- Robert Redford speaks out on horse slaughter (horsetalk.co.nz)
- Equine Advocates Meet in NY to Take Stupidity and Horse Slaughter to Task (rtfitchauthor.com)
- Thirty horses on way to slaughter die in New York trailer fire (news.terra.com)
- Sharp drop in US horses going to slaughter in Mexico (horsetalk.co.nz)
- Market for Slaughter Horses Plunging in Wake of “Burger-gate” (rtfitchauthor.com)
Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
It might have not just been insurance, too. If the plant turned him down, what was he to do with 30 horses? Sounded like an easy way out for that P.O.S!
But I can’t get my head around which is worse, burning those innocent horses, or them being tortured, the intense fear, and being slaughtered and whatever other nasty things they do there 😥 Both are bad, but I just pray the other was a less painful death =\
LikeLike
These poor horses suffered unspeakable pain because of inhumane lack of action on the parts of the driver and anyone else who could have helped get them out of that burning truck. So is there anything we can actually DO here instead of just voicing our disgust?? I see no action to take here and unfortunately our comments will not change ANYTHING. Is there a petition to sign? Where is the action to BAN FOREVER Horse slaughter in the USA and Prevent the transport of all USA horses across borders for slaughter? EQUINE WELFARE ALLIANCE what are you going to DO to address this horror for these poor DEAD horses? Please let us all know and THANK YOU for all you do!
LikeLike
I always knew there were bad people amongst us on the earth, but I actually didn’t realize how extreme. People who can do this to horses without giving it a second thought are nothing but pure evil.
LikeLike
This is horific what hey do to thse beautiful animals.Something needs to be done.Animal abuse is not tolerated nd these barbarians need to be punished. We ned a petition to stop this crueltyto all animals.
LikeLike
I have always thought that the Law was to lenient towards animal abusers of all kinds. You see all of that animal abuse on the Animal Planet show. People seem to just get their hands slapped and told not to do it again. There was just one horse in Utah that had his halter grown in across the top of his nose. That was heartbreaking. The horse got treated by a vet, but was still staying with its owner. That is totally wrong, because that person isn’t going to change. The laws need to be changed and enforced for any kind of animal abuse. The horse kill buyers need to go to prison. If the Federal Government isn’t going to stop these agencies (BLM) and Dept of the Interior from abiding by the law and do their jobs correctly, it probably won’t stop.
LikeLike
I am so glad I don’t have to answer for what some people do. Hell is defendantly where he is headed.
LikeLike
It is NO different for other animals, cows, pigs, sheep….. Just another reason to NOT eat meat of any kind. If no one ate meat this would end immedietly. Come on people!!! Put these hideous cretons out of business. STOP eating meat!!
LikeLike
many signatures on it as quickly as possible. The original drafted petition was only for 75,000 signatures I pushed it til it got to 54,000 then she redid the petition specifically for the Safe Act. We now require 100,000 signatures, We have OVER 54,000 so spread the word, this petition needs to gain quickly! Please post anywhere you can after you sign it! Important, like I said I keep it highly visible to the White House and make sure they understand they are NOT losing momemtum they are GAINING in it! So please help us get it signed~
LikeLike
WE ARE NOT TOLERATING THIS!
LikeLike
This sh*t just kills me. I agree with the comment that people that hurt animals are possessed by demons. Heartwrenching.
LikeLike
This was horrible, no real words could try to describe it. But, as sick & sad as this was & is, the fate these horses were facing was much more grim, & much worse than what they went through. I can not believe, insurance money or not, who really knows, that no one, not even responders, even tried to get the horses out. I DO hope & pray, that if that driver even has a microscopic sized heart, that he will have nightmares EVERY night for the rest of his miserable life, hearing the screams of those poor animals!!!!
LikeLike
This is one of the most despicable things I’ve ever heard. Anyone, ANYON involved in equine trafficking for slaughter should be held in the highest contempt and punished SEVERELY…no exceptions
LikeLike
They should fine this guy bigtime & take away his driver’s license & should lose his job as either truck driver or whatever it takes-a real uncaring a-hole sounds like!
LikeLike
UPDATE ON FIRE:
http://wp.me/pyapj-5hS
LikeLike
These coward humans need to be investigated and prosecuted .
LikeLike
This breaks my heart. They’re intelligent majestic and domesticated animals. What’s wrong with this world… Only God can save us. I wish we where a civilized. Smh…!
LikeLike
Tragedy all the way around. Instead of slaughtering horses here or abroad, how about sterilizing them to lower their numbers. Or at the least have some kind of culling program done as humanely as possible.
Horses are our pets. What’s next, eating our dogs and cats? Oh wait China and the Koreas already do it.
People are such idiots
LikeLike
They just don’t care. They did not even open the door to allow them out. He kept them locked up in the trailer. These are horrible men. There is a special place for these men in hell. I hope that is exactly where they will be heading for.
LikeLike
Instead of always making the horses suffer, why not just celebrate the Majestic Beauty before us, the perfection that is undeniable, all the beautiful things they have and always will bring to us , spend precious time helping the horses spread all the joy they have within them. !!!!!!!………….. You help a horse you help yourself !!!!!!!
LikeLike
To begin with knowing that a horse slaughter truck is a war zone , to my knowledge these Morons load stallions and mares together , can you imagine the horror in that truck ????????? dont think for one minute that the horses do not know whats about to happen !!!!!! The horse may not speak but are highly intuitive !!!!! There is panic the entire route………….. My heart breaks for them !!!!!!!!!!!!!
LikeLike
How I would love to watch the people that were involved in this tragedy burn themselves as well while I’d be drinkin a cold glass of water.
I wish them nothing but the worst in life
LikeLike
The devil always takes care of his own ! It seems the bad always wins in the end anymore ! I hope there is a better life for animals in the after life then living with cold humans,may humans that let things like this happen burn in hell ! So sad,but happens too often ! Right on !
LikeLike
Well, just another example of people with absolutely NO heart when it comes to animals and what they can earn off of them – the almighty dollar; I don’t see how they can sleep at night. I hope one of them had to listen to the cries of those horses what were burned to death. Also everyone may benefit from reading: “Diet for a New America” by John Robbins. I won’t tell you what is in the book – just read it. It is an eye-opener if you don’t know what is happening….and right here in the USA. Rebecca Reeves
LikeLike
No comment needed. Those people, what are they? I don´t agree to killing animals to eat, I´m a vegetarian, due to the extreme cruelty envolved when killing them. And these happenings, they are even more cruel, for, if you have the tip of a finger burned, you can imagine what kind of pain they went through… Unimaginable cruelty!!!!!!
LikeLike
kill buyers:They are criminals at the lowest level of degradation. They and their partners in crime who are involved in these atrocities are threats to society and everything decent.
LikeLike
Severe punishment and cruelty charges for this man. Sick and ruthless. Nothing for the protection of the horses. These driving rigs must be banned. So cruel and inhumane. So much of this is happening. We must stop horse slaughter now. Stop the trucks rolling. Stop the madness. Stop the brutal killing of our equines. Burned to death, oh the anguish and suffering for them. God Bless all the horses that perished. We must not forget this.Crush slaughter to the bones. Hit them hard in the pocket. Sick and tired of the exploitation of our horses. Stop the slaughter of horses now. We must stop criminals for allowing animals of any kind to ever experience this anguish, ever.
LikeLike
AGREED !!! commonsense solution !!!!!!
LikeLike
To the horses that perished , I am so sorry !!!! I mourn for each and everyone !!!!! This will not be forgotten and swept under the rug, its to full now there, no more of this Horror can be !!!!!
LikeLike
Everyday you hear where man kills helpless animals or let them die a horrible death. Next door they let 300,000 thousands chickens burn to death ! Our a leader brags about how good horse and dog meat is ! All animals deserve respect and not suffer but dogs and horses put man at the top and to turn our backs on them is wrong.They deserve respect . By this story you can tell the future of man is to kill each other and they will ! They were sold in New Holland,Pa to die ! Not right ! they deserve better !
LikeLike
God please let me win the Lotto, for then not one horse will ever be sold to a kill buyer!……May all these horses run free now and may anyone who sat back and watched these horses burn may you all burn in hell, I for one would have done everything in my power to release these horses! and dare that driver to try to stop me!……..If you own or raise a animal all need to take responsibility to insure they have a life time home! Over 39,000 horses in one year to slaughter? There has to be another way?
LikeLike