Animals Rescued from Illegal Florida Slaughterhouse Going to Sanctuaries

Last week, ARM (Animal Recovery Mission) and Miami-Dade law enforcement rescued a whopping 9,500 farm animals from a life of unimaginable misery. These animals were the unfortunate residents of an illegal slaughterhouse in Doral, Florida—a place where torture, neglect and mind-numbing fear were business as usual.

The rescue operation was the largest of its kind in the U.S., ever, according to ARM founder Richard “Kudo” Couto. Goats, pigs, cows, chickens— even dogs were on site, all living in horrific conditions without proper food, water or any veterinary care. The “farm’s” activities were the stuff of horror movies, and all caught on tape by dedicated members of ARM’s undercover team.

Illegal Florida slaughterhouse raided, goats like this cutie pie are being rehomed to sanctuaries. Photo courtesy of Kindred Spirits.

Luckily, thanks to ARM and Miami-Dade’s organized crime unit, the animals are finally safe and sound. After doing a bloody business for more than 40 years, Coco Farm is closed.

Many of the rescued animals have already taken up residence at different sanctuaries throughout Florida, including Kindred Spirits in Ocala and Rooterville, A Sanctuary, in Melrose. There, they’ll live out their lives in peace.

At Rooterville, two female pigs were the first to arrive.

“They love fresh grass, probably the first time in their life they have ever tasted or touched it.  They’ve had a bath to get the horrific stench off of their bodies and they are happy and curious about everything,” says Elaine West, the sanctuary’s co-founder.

“Those horrific, violent places exist because there is a demand for the meat they were supplying,” West told the Miami New Times. “If we can make better choices, that demand will dry up and the places that exist off of animal suffering and misery will go away.”

If you’d like to support ARM, Kindred Spirits or Rooterville, you can make donations online. Every last dollar helps save lives.