ARM was developed to expose extreme animal cruelty operations and provide everlasting solutions to the illegal and immoral issues relating to such activities. Our investigations are not limited by geographic range or animal. ARM Investigations endeavors upon any mission that challenges the welfare of animals, protected wildlife and the environment.

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The growth of illegal slaughter farms is contributed due to a breakdown of the government in the State of Florida. These practices have been carried out over the last 40 years and the lack of enforcement has simply allowed these businesses to escalate.

The C9 Basin is directly off Ockochobee Road, yet once entered, it becomes a maze of dirt roads and one way streets where illegal operations have been allowed to spread like wild fire. The danger element of C9 has discouraged local officials to enforce the area.

Ten farms in Area 97 have been illegally operating for over the last 40 years. ARM’s November raid of the ringleader, Rudestino Acosta and his property was the largest animal rescue in USA of 2011 and involved the seizing and recovery of almost 600 animals.

ARM is currently in the final phase of closing down six illegal animal slaughter farms in the Hillsborough County of Citrus Park. These farms are some of the worst of their kind in Florida that ARM has investigated where they have been practicing brutal acts of animal torture and abuse in butchering and selling the animals for human consumption.

The high demand for horse meat contributes not only to a cultural trend and delicacy but also to a string of misconceptions. Some believe horse meat increases the male libido or serve medicinal values such as cures for blood disorders. None of these have been proven to be anything other than myths and on the contrary, have only shown to be a danger to the consumer’s health.

In the United States, South Florida has the highest population of Santeria and Palo Mayombe being practiced. This is mostly due to the Caribbean’s proximity where black magic was adopted when African slaves were bought to the Caribbean for slavery.

The sacrificing of an animal is perceived as an assimilation of power harnessed through the degree of torture, pain, and blood that the victim ‘offers’. In Santeria these rituals are generally documented as being used for milder good and bad spells.

Palo Mayombe is considered the darkest and most feared of all the black magic practices. In fact, ARM investigators have on several occasions been warned to steer clear for their own protection. A simple personal item left behind, can be used in a ceremony.

ARM Investigations is currently targeting the rising dilemma and presence of global animal fighting rings. In the US, it is common for these fights to be conducted upon illegal animal slaughter farms as they are heavily associated with the same dark, underground world.

As with cock fighting, dog fighting is another serious issue and bloodsport that still continues to be widely operated in the USA. ARM has worked relentlessly in exposing its presence and has recovered several ‘bait dogs’ and ex-fighting dogs during our operations.

Cock fighting is illegal in the USA although it is still legal in Mexico and something ARM aims to change. As with all of ARM’s gritty investigations, cockfighting is still being practiced due to a lack of local enforcement through out the United States.

Over the past two years, ARM investigators have been embedding themselves into the ‘outdated’ southern blood sport of Hog Dog rodeos and are continuing efforts in closing down several operations in Florida and the southern states of the US.

In July of 2012, ARM Investigators initiated the first steps on infiltrating the underground world of fighting stallions in Mexico. Our preliminary investigation has traced leads to several southern California racetracks where employees of the tracks have been involved in transporting ex thoroughbred racehorses over the border.

ARM Investigations does not limit our operations solely within the United States. We are currently branching out around the globe and Mexico is one of our top International priorities for combatting extreme animal cruelty and torture.

Operation Juarez Ciudad

In the spring of 2011, ARM entered into Juarez, Mexico and went deep undercover to document the operations of one of the world’s most inhumane slaughter houses. The mission involved a week long sting where ARM documented the layout, daily functions and necessary details required for further investigations.

In June of 2011, ARM collaborated in one of the largest joint campaigns of animal welfare groups in the USA and Mexico to shed light on the world’s most deplorable animal auctions – The San Bernabe Auction, which lies outside of Mexico City, Mexico.

In October of 2012, ARM investigators went deep undercover into the Fox and Coyote Penning Games in Virginia. ARM targeted the Pooles Facility, which has been actively running these games for over 20 years.

Undercover operations have exposed the constant presence of tattooed and registered racehorses ending up on illegal slaughter farms. Many of the racehorses have been traced back to being big stakes winners. To date, ARM has documented at least 20 tattooed and registered racehorses that were slaughtered for human consumption.

Bear bile harvesting is an ancient tradition in the Asian culture and has been used widely for medicinal purposes to cure many aliments ranging from headaches to epilepsy. The active ingredient in the bear bile is ursodeoxycholic acid; considered to many as somewhat of a ‘wonder cure.

The wild horses and burros of the USA are a ‘National Treasure’ and are considered by many as being the backbone of this country. Presently, there are only an estimated 25,000 wild horses left roaming free and their presence in the wild is on an alarming and rapid decline.

ARM Investigations teamed up with wild horse advocates Respect 4 Horses and started a campaign to save a Herd of untouched wild mustangs in Hawthorne, Nevada. These majestic wild horses were discovered roaming upon an oasis in the desert around Walker Lake.

ARM Investigations and Respect 4 Horses once again teamed up in a desperate fight to save the threatened Salt River Wild Horses in Arizona. In the coming months, the US Forest service has plans to round up an estimated 80-100 wild horses who grace the banks of the Mesa River.