Report: 25 Slaughter-Bound Horses Intercepted In New York, Driver Charged
New York authorities intercepted a truck carrying 25 horses allegedly bound for slaughter in Canada this week, and the driver was arrested in what animal welfare advocates say is the first enforcement action under New York's expanded horse slaughter law, according to the Times Union .
New York State Police stopped the truck, driven by Pennsylvania resident Robert M. Seitz, shortly before 2:30 a.m. Sept. 2 on U.S. Highway 11 in DeKalb, about 25 miles from the Canadian border. Police told the Times Union that the horses had been purchased and tagged for slaughter.
Seitz was charged with violating New York Agriculture and Markets Law § 385, which prohibits transporting or otherwise transferring horses in the state when the person knows or should know they are intended for slaughter for human or animal consumption. Seitz was issued an appearance ticket for DeKalb Town Court.
The horses were removed from Seitz's custody and taken to a veterinary clinic in Saratoga County, according to WWNY. Sonja Meadows, founder and president of the Maryland-based animal welfare organization Animals' Angels, told the station the horses are being monitored by veterinarians and will eventually be made available for adoption.
State Police told the Times Union that the stop followed an investigation into Rotz's Livestock in Shippensburg, Pa., and allegations that horses were being purchased and tagged there before being transported through New York to Canada for slaughter.
Rotz's Livestock and its owner, Bruce Rotz, have been the subject of scrutiny from animal welfare investigators for years. Meadows told WWNY that Animals' Angels has monitored the operation since 2009 and continued documenting shipments after New York's expanded slaughter law took effect. She said Rotz exported nearly 1,600 horses for slaughter in 2025 and that her organization provided documentation about the shipments to New York authorities.
As of Sept. 4, however, no charges have been announced against Rotz or his business. WWNY reported Thursday that it remained unclear whether Rotz would be prosecuted. Rotz's operation is located in Pennsylvania, while this week's enforcement action occurred when a load of horses allegedly destined for slaughter traveled through New York.
A 2022 Times Union investigation into the horse slaughter pipeline noted that avoiding New York would not necessarily prevent a Pennsylvania operation from reaching Canadian slaughter plants, but would require a less direct route.
"Trucks from operations like Rotz's kill pen in Pennsylvania would have to use longer routes to avoid passing through New York to reach Canada," the Times Union reported.
The slaughter pipeline has changed since that investigation. Mexico, another destination for American horses sent to slaughter, currently prohibits the import of U.S. horses because of New World screwworm concerns.
The Times Union investigation also documented former Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses among horses moving through the slaughter pipeline from Rotz's operation
This story was originally published by Paulick Report on Sep 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the Horse Care section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
