NO MORE ANIMAL CRUELTY AT SUGARCREEK, PLEASE!

LEROY BAKER, pictured at left in the dark colored baseball cap, is the owner of SUGARCREEK LIVESTOCK AUCTION in Sugarcreek, Ohio, one of the most nortorious equine "meat-market" auction houses east of the Mississippi. Mr. Baker is a CROOK that has had his license suspended before by the Dept of Agriculture and he SHOULD NOT be allowed to continue in the auction house / livestock business!

Book-Keeping Violations;
 http://www.usda.gov/da/oaljdecisions/vol62/Vol62_at_253.pdf 

Interstate Transportation Violations;
http://equineprotectionnetwork.com/press/prdd5.htm

I am looking into the past records of Mr Leroy Baker of Sugarcreek Livestock Auctions to see just how many times he has been cited by the USDA. Perhaps a freedom of information law request is due to the Ohio State Dept of Ag. I would bet dollars to doughnuts that this guy is a "habitual" offender with a LONG history of violations and if that is the case he should definately NOT be allowed to continue in the livestock business. 

Here is a link to the Department of Agriculture for the State of Ohio. Perhaps you will want to contact them to let them know just what you think of Mr Leroy Browns Sugarcreek Aucion House of Horrors;

http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/animal/

You can call the Ohio Department of Agriculture /  Division of Animal Industry here and talk to Dan Goeglein, Administrator for the Division of Animal Industires. However, I have spoken with this man in person and he seems to think the State Department of Agriculture HAS NO JURISDICTION over animal-cruelty at the Sugarcreek Auction House! DO NOT buy this mans lame-brained excuses as THEY MOST CERTAINLY DO have such jurisdiction and This man needs to get educated as to this DUTY TO ENFORCE OHIO STATE ANTI-CRUELTY LAWS! (614) 728 - 6220) or email them at  Animal@Agri.Ohio.Gov  Here is a link to the Ohio Animal Cruelty Statutes where you can see all the violations Mr Leroy HORSEKILLER Baker is guilty of;

Ohio State Animal Cruelty Laws;

http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/dawson/cruelty/oh_cruel.htm

*Note: There are provisions in these laws that do not apply to animals earmarked for slaughter. However, remember, these horses coming IN to his facilty are not "officially" destined for slaughter until after they are sold! The law protects them right up until that time of sale. Ole Mr Leroy Bakers SHOULD NOT under any circumstances allow injured, sick or suffering animals onto his property, let alone running them through the auction ring,....so these laws still apply. DO NOT get discouranged. WE ARE making progress here....and I think Ole Leroy will soon need to go out to Walmarts to buy himself some new, fresh clean fruit of the looms ....cause I can almost see him s*%#ing his drawers right now! It is said ole Leroy likes exposure but I dont think he counted on this kind! You hear that ole Mr Leroy HORSEKILLER Baker? We are out to shut you down! 

Maybe we should all call the auction house directly to "congradulate" Mr Baker for making the NATIONAL NEWS and obtaining near "celebrity" status! Here is the direct number to Sugarcreek Auction; (330) 852-2832
Strangely enough, the listing I found this number for has the Sugarcreek Owner listed as an ELAINE STEIN. What did ole Leroy do? Sign over the business to this gal because he cant put the licence in his name anymore, due to all the citiations he has received in the past? Hummm, the plot thickens.   

 Like most livestock auction houses, animal cruelty is common place but some are worse than others. We picked Mr Leroy Bakers to petition because his auction house is one of the worst for animal cruelty and neglect. Here is a link to a couple of newspaper articles where you can read all about how proud Mr Baker is of his work. In addition to being "OK" with animal cruelty, Mr Baker also enjoys sending horses to slaughter. Here is a link to the latest news video on Mr Leroy Baker and his Infamous Sugarcreek Auction House of Horrors;

Video:
http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=64287&bw=

Article 1:
http://www.clevescene.com/2005-05-04/news/eating-mister-ed/ 

Article 2:
http://www.mountvernonnews.com/local/07/10/15/sugarcreek.html

We are petitioning Mr Baker in hopes of compelling him to cease and desist in his well known practice of allowing, permitting, condoning  and/or engaging in acts of animal cruelty, negligence or abuse as is commonly seen at his auction house every week. Personal eyewitness accounts have observed sick and injured animals being transported and run through the auction ring. Oftentimes horses with broken limbs or non-weight bearing lameness are cruely handled as they are pushed, shoved and prodded along with no thought to the animals great suffering. On at least one occasion recently Mr Baker was observed trying to force a downed horse to its feet by shoving it along with a bucket loader! There are law against these types of cruelties as Mr Baker is WELL aware but the problem here is lack of enforcement. Many animal lovers have claimed to have tried to file a complaint against the cruelties to animals as occurs at this auction house on a weekly basis, only to be discouraged by the authorities for one reason or another. People we MUST demand strict enforcement of our existing animal cruelty laws if it means we must DEMAND our right to file complaints and for full investigation and prosecution of same. Cold,, heartless sobs' like ole' Leroy Baker will never take our pleas for compassion and to abide by the laws seriously unless we are able to get the laws enforced.

Meanwhile we continue on in our fight to educate the world as to the importance of HUMANE TREATMENT of all animals in hopes that indifference to the suffering of animals on the part of some people such as Mr Baker will soon be a thing of the past. 

Sugarcreek Auction was featured on an HBO special recently, along with Mountaineer Racetrack in VA who sends alot of their xrace horses to Mr. Bakers Sugarcreek Auction. Here are two links to the HBO segment, Parts 1 & 2;

HBO Mountaineer Racetrack Pt. 1:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04mvw6tTHrs

HBO Mountaineer RaceTrack / Sugarcreek Auction Pt. 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSboR03WnjI

Here is a link to the Sugarcreek OH / Tuscarawas County Sheriffs Office Website; 

http://198.30.119.7/

Call them at (330) 339-200 to let them know the world is aware of the blatent violations of Ohios Animal Cruelty Laws going on at Mr Bakers Auction House...although I am sure they are already aware but the idea here is to get them to DO something about it! Calls are good but you can email them to at:  mailto:Sheriff@Co.Tuscarawas.Oh.Gove Do both! Tell them the animal cruelty at Sugarcreek Auction has got to end!
Tell the authorities that they NEED to get on the job here as will be a BIG embarrassment to them when they dont when this matter is fully exposed and prosecuted by someone else.....it is their job, first and formost, to enforce the state animal cruelty laws!

Here is a link to a Sugarcreek, Oh promotional site where you can contact the towns Chamber of Commerce to let them know they have a new National tourist attraction in Sugarcreek Livestock Auctions - let them know this place is a National DISGRACE whos owner has been cited by the Dept of Agriculture for "bad business practices."

SugarcreekOhio.Org;
http://www.sugarcreekohio.org/

Here is a link to a new Yahoo Group you can join our campaign to STOP THE SUGARCREEK CRRUELTY!

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/StopSugarcreekCruelty/

Also, something else we all can do. If we can convince HBO that there is enough public interest (and outrage) over the recent airing exposing the vicious cycle these horses are caught up in and there most common tragic ends,.....maybe they might want to explore the issue a little more, maybe even do a documentary? We should all BOMBARD HBO SPORTS requesting further information and exposure on the subject. Tell them how important you think it is that this information be widely publicised because America NEEDS TO KNOW! Here is a link to their website;

http://www.hbo.com/docs/

And here is the telephone number of HBO's Customer Affairs Dept., where you can call them Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm ET;
 (212) 512 - 1208

I have spoken to the HBO reps at this number and they have already received some calls asking for more exposure on this subject, and the good news is that HBO is ENCOURAGING & WELCOMING our calls so lets get to it and let them know you think this subject needs more exposure. Tell them you would LOVE to see a DOCUMENTARY on the subject of horse slaughter.

And here is a link to a petition to tell Mountaineer Racetrack, the same one mentioned in the HBO vid,  to get rid of their on-track "meat-man";

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/no-more-meat-men-at-mountaineer-racetrack

Here also is a link to a petition to tell the authorities all over the world to take animal cruelty crimes serious;
http://go.care2.com/e/VdK7/qM../pwqY 
 
Thank you for caring!