Horse auctions around the country hold a terrible secret. Many of the horses that people send to auctions actually end up being bought by people known as "kill buyers". These kill buyers are there for one purpose only, to buy horses to be sent to slaughter houses across the U.S. borders. Many people who send their horses to the auctions are hoping that they are going to a new home. They would be heartbroken if they were more aware of this terrible secret.

As hard as it is to think about beautiful adult horses being sent to slaughter, it is even harder to understand how anyone could send baby horses to go to slaughter. But that is just what happened recently in Oregon when 24 baby horses were transported from a ranch there to an auction in Turlock, California. From there, it is believed that the horses would have been transported to Mexico and slaughtered for human consumption. Horses at auction that are destined for slaughter are generally sold at around 22 cents per pound.

These foals ranged in age from eight months to one-year-old and were in poor condition. Most had likely never been properly fed or cared for by the ranchers. Luckily for these babies, members from the rescue organization, Horse Plus Humane Society, had also traveled to the auction and were able to purchase them for as low as $50 a horse.

Now they are recuperating at the Horse Plus Humane Society, where for the first time the light has come back into their eyes as they regain their health and their spirits have returned. The rescue workers are busy seeking new homes for the young horses and they have lowered the price of adoption to $100 for approved families. Taking care of 24 baby horses is expensive so the rescue is also looking for donations to help feed and medicate the animals as they recover. Soon these young horses will be living the lives they were born to live - as a beloved companion horse. But it was a very close call for them.