Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Cited by Feds After PETA Exposé

The Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange was cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after PETA provided the agency with evidence following our investigation into the Shelby Alternative Livestock Auction, which was held at the stockyard in October 2021. The citations were based entirely on our eyewitness video footage, which showed a coatimundi screaming and chittering out of terror while being auctioned off; a wallaby being dangled by the tail, causing him to struggle frantically; and an oryx who was nearly struck by a collapsing wall panel while breaking through makeshift corrals in a bid to escape his confinement. News of the USDA’s citations came just weeks after PETA protesters gathered to condemn the owners of the stockyard for allowing this auction to be held at their property. At the same time as the protest, the auction organizer announced that the March 2022 event had been canceled. PETA is calling on the veterinarians who own this stockyard to see the writing on the wall and permanently ban the sale of exotic animals there.