Horrifying
undercover video footage of
animal abuse secretly recorded by Mercy For Animals at Ontario Livestock Sales
— the largest livestock auction in southern California — has led to even more criminal
convictions of the auction’s employees. On Friday, workers Jose Orozco, Manuel
Orozco, Carlos Rodriguez-Contreras, and Alejandro Herrera were convicted by San
Bernardino County Superior Court judge Colin Bilash of charges that they
violated California’s criminal animal cruelty laws by kicking, throwing, and
beating animals and leaving sick and injured animals to suffer and die.
The workers were ordered to pay
fines totaling $235 each, to pay $250 each to the Inland Valley Humane Society,
and were sentenced to 2 years probation. Late last year, auction owner Horacio
Santorsola was also convicted of criminal cruelty to animals for selling, holding,
and transporting “downer animals who were too sick or injured to stand up or
walk, and two other auction workers were convicted of criminal animal cruelty.
Mercy For Animals praises the San Bernardino District Attorney’s Office for
pursuing justice in this important case.
Following
the release of this investigation in 2012, Ontario mayor Paul Leon vowed to
take swift action against the livestock auction, calling the abuse documented
by Mercy For Animals “shocking and disturbing. Ontario City Council member Jim
Bowen also condemned the livestock auction and asked the City Council to take
action. Mercy For Animals is now calling upon the mayor and City Council to
begin proceedings to close down this facility based on the numerous violations
of California’s animal cruelty laws.
Watch
the video footage that led to these convictions here:
The best way to ensure animals are protected from such horrific abuse is
to simply leave them off your plate. Visit ChooseVeg.com
today for free vegetarian recipes and tips.