Eastern Iowa Auction Barn Part of Horse Slaughter Pipeline

A recent investigation by animal welfare organizations followed the trail of horses sent for slaughter from the United States to Canada or Mexico. One of these trails led the group to an eastern Iowa horse auction.

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Currently, in the United States, there are no federal laws that ban the practice. However, a handful of states have passed state bans on horse slaughtering. In 2007, the last horse slaughterhouse for human consumption in the United States was closed.

With no slaughter facilities in the United States, “kill buyers” started to send horses to processing plants in Canada and Mexico.

The horse slaughter pipeline begins with auctions. One of the largest slaughter horse auctions in the country is located right here in eastern Iowa.

According to a Horse Slaughter report, Kalona Auction in Kalona Iowa accepts horses for sale with injuries, are sick or emancipated. Slaughter prospects are kept separate then riding/pleasure horses. These pens hold close to 50 animals, causing horses to fight for dominance and space.

The slaughter horses are separated before entering the auction ring by a hydraulic gate, which is very heavy and noisy. After the first horse goes through, the gate begins to close and crushes others, following horses with full force across their bodies or heads. The horses panic, bolt, and try to get away. Some horses appear to be extremely dazed after the gate hit them and stand stock still as other horses rush past them.

The report adds the handling of the horses at the facility is poor, with reports of employees hitting the horses.

Don McDowell, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Agriculture told the Des Moines Register, that the agency has regulatory authority over animals brought into Iowa, but they do not regulate the export of animals.