DEKALB, NEW YORK — Twenty-five horses destined for slaughter at a Quebec facility are safe after New York State Police troopers stopped a livestock trailer on US Highway 11 in the Town of DeKalb early on September 2 following days of surveillance by an animal welfare nonprofit and a multi-agency investigation that traced the shipment back to a Pennsylvania kill buyer who advocates say has been moving horses to Canadian slaughterhouses for decades.
The driver, Robert M. Seitz, of Lewiston, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with violating New York State Agriculture and Markets Law Section 385.02, which prohibits the slaughter of horses for human or animal consumption and forbids transporting horses for that purpose. Seitz was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Town of DeKalb Court. The horses were removed from his custody and arrangements were made for their care.
How It Unfolded
The investigation began on August 28 when the New York State Humane Association brought a complaint to the Warren County District Attorney’s Office about horses being transported from Pennsylvania through New York to a slaughter facility in Quebec, Canada. NYSP launched an investigation in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the USDA, and the nonprofit Animals’ Angels.
The investigation focused on Rotz’s Livestock, owned by Bruce Rotz of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, and allegations that horses were being purchased, tagged, and transported to Canada for slaughter and human consumption. Animals’ Angels President Sonja Meadows and a second investigator conducted surveillance near the Rotz operation beginning early Monday morning, monitoring truck and horse movements to identify the next Canada-bound shipment.
At 2:24 a.m. on September 2, troopers traveling north on US-11 in the town of DeKalb spotted a red 2007 Freightliner towing a livestock trailer northbound and initiated a traffic stop for a vehicle and traffic law violation. A Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit responded to the scene for an inspection. Documentation from the driver confirmed the horses were destined for slaughter at Viande Richelieu in Canada.
Years in the Making
Animals’ Angels has investigated Bruce Rotz’s involvement in the slaughter-horse trade since 2009, documenting his Pennsylvania operation, the condition of horses in his custody, and the routes used to move horses to Canadian slaughter facilities. After New York enacted its equine anti-slaughter law in 2023, Animals’ Angels obtained documentation showing Rotz was still shipping slaughter-bound horses through New York and filed a formal complaint. That earlier case did not result in charges, but the organization continued investigating.
New York State Senator Dan Stec played a role in bringing advocates’ evidence to authorities and facilitating engagement with State Police and prosecutors. HORSEPWR helped champion the original law and has continued advocating for its enforcement. The New York State Humane Association helped secure facilities, veterinary support, and other resources needed to receive and care for the horses.
“For years, Animals’ Angels has followed these trucks, documented their movements and worked to expose the kill buyers who profit from sending horses to slaughter,” said Sonja Meadows, president of Animals’ Angels. “After years of pushing for meaningful enforcement, we now know that these shipments can be stopped.”
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