Together with the Spanish organization ANDA, Animals' Angels controls the annual horse market in Puigcerdà in northeastern Spain. About 900 horses are for sale here today. The majority come from the region and are to be slaughtered.
Most of these horses stand outdoors in pastures all year round. At the market, however, they stand in pens and are very stressed. On top of that, some of them have to participate in a competition. The unfamiliar environment and the many visitors make their situation even worse.
A big problem at the market is the care of the animals. Water and feed are available, but unfortunately only a few of the owners choose to water and feed their horses - despite spending many hours at the market. Handling the animals during loading and unloading is also a problem: many vehicles have ramps that are too steep or no ramps at all. With blows to sensitive parts of her body, Aina the horse is forced to jump off the truck. Once in the pen, she breathes quickly - the stress and fear are clearly visible. Unfortunately, we did not see any checks by the veterinarians during the loadings.
ANDA and Animals' Angels are now jointly putting pressure on the operators of the market and the authorities to stop these malpractices.
