In 2015, Animal Recovery Mission began surveillance upon an area on the west coast of South Florida, where illegal animal slaughter operations were suspected. After quickly confirming illegal activity involving violent acts on animals, ARM initiated undercover investigations on four properties within Lee County, all within close vicinity.
The properties went by the name(s) Rancho Anthony and Roman, Rancho Delicias, Rancho Santa Barbara, and Rancho Cabrera. These properties involve an extensive list of barbaric acts of animal cruelty and a multitude of felony crimes.
The Investigation of Rancho Cabrera began in 2017, while ARM was actively undercover on nearby slaughter farms located at 7301 Eastwood Acres Rd Fort Myers, Florida. Rancho Cabrera operates out of an unsanitary residence with garbage strewn across the property. The conditions provide rodents harborage and infestation on the property, including the animal holding areas.
Our investigation into Rancho Cabrera also unveiled dogs and puppies locked in wire cages and sold for ritualistic ceremonies.
The illegal business owner Francisco Cabrera Ramirez (Frank) does not possess a license or permits to butcher animals for public consumption, and profit.
During its independent investigation, ARM’s operatives documented severe abuse and torture of farm animals such as pigs, guinea fowl, ducks, and chickens. There is a gross lack of compliance with the Humane Slaughter Act, with animals brutally killed onsite. Those guidelines are to ensure that an animal must be rendered insensitive to pain before slaughter.
While investigating Rancho Cabrera ARM investigators witnessed, and documented, the following felony and other criminal acts against animals:
Pigs are pinned to the ground with excessive force, while the butcher plunges a long, dull blade into the animal’s chest.
The high customer demand rushes the slaughtering process, and workers do not wait for the animals to die before butchering them. Instead, they begin to hose the blood off of them with cold water, acting as a stimulus which prolongs their pain and suffering, a violation of the Humane Slaughter ACT.
Pigs are thrown into vats of boiling water while still alive and held underwater by a shovel until they drown.
Birds necks are hacked at carelessly, with blunt instruments and incompletely ‘snapped’ by the hands of untrained employees. These birds are often de-feathered, while still alive.
Animals showed signs of disease, malnutrition, and dehydration, and lacking food and water.
To view ARM’s complete report containing the findings from the Rancho Cabrera investigation, Click Here.
To learn more about the three additional illegal slaughtering investigations in Fort Myers, Florida click on the names below.
Operation Rancho Santa Barbara, Operation Rancho Delicias , Operation Rancho Roman & Anthony
Link to: Operation Rancho Cabrera - Undercover Footage
Undercover Footage
Link to: Operation Rancho Cabrera - Operation Photos
