Bravo Investigations Thawarted by Loose Lipped Rescuers

Statement of Ellen-Cathryn Nash Regarding Bravo Packing
March 20, 2009

On January 18, 2008 Ellen-Cathryn Nash and Dr. Lester Friedlander, DVM began the investigation of Bravo Packing with an address at 59 North Golfwood Avenue, Carney's Point, New Jersey 08069.

Ellen-Cathryn Nash first called Bravo Packing and inquired if they would euthanize a horse. Monty J. Merola said he does not euthanize horses as he does not have a veterinarian on the premises. Merola was then asked what he did with the horses. He said he puts them down with a gunshot. Ms. Nash told him that she had seen the gunshot method of euthanization. That had been done by a rated markswoman with a .32 gauge rifle with the barrel of the rifle placed in the ear of the 45 year old pony.
When Merola thought that Ms. Nash was not repulsed by horses being shot, he then told her that he slaughters the horses and sells the meat to zoos across the country, including the San Diego Zoo and the San Francisco Zoo.

Ms. Nash and Dr. Friedlander asked for PeTA's assistance first, as it is difficult for both Ms. Nash and Dr. Friedlander to get to the facility. PeTA called to arrange for the purchase, however instead of requesting some horse heads and cadaver legs, they mistakenly requested cattle heads. Merola was told the horse heads were to be used for Dr. Friedlander's research, and the cadaver legs were to be used by
barefoot trimming students. The cadaver legs were required to show evidence of hog tying, which Merola does as the legs prove. PeTA stated that they did not have time available to send another investigator to Bravo. Ms. Nash then contacted IDA (In Defense of Animals at their New York City Office) and was then referred to the
Humane Society of the United States. Help was not forthcoming from the Humane Society.

The next attempt to find another undercover investigator was with the Farm Sanctuary. The Farm Sanctuary, located in Watkins Glenn, NY, stated they were very interested in this investigation, however after weeks of waiting for a date and time, they canceled due to the price of gasoline.

Ms. Sorvino was recruited by Ms. Nash in February of 2008. In May of 2008, Ms. Sorvino requested a loan of a 'sting' undercover camera from the Humane Society of the United States. They responded to Ms. Sorvino immediately due most likely to her famous last name. They promised to send the camera, however they did not, yet they were very interested in the evidence we had already collected. Ms. Nash
told the Humane Society to 'stand down' as we had been investigating Merola for months and we knew the Humane Society would attempt to take over our investigation and reap monetary rewards from horse loving Americans while we had paid all the expenses and risked our well being. We were not investigating Merola to procure donations. We just wanted him to stop slaughtering horses as horse
slaughter, by definition, is illegal as it violates the Humane Slaughter Act of 1958. It was at this point that Ms. Sorvino contacted 'Last Chance for Animals' in California. They sent two investigators, however they were not able to obtain any video footage.

Ms. Sorvino first met Merola in person by attending the Cowtown Rodeo, located in New Jersey, to watch him compete. She was with a film crew from a CBS affiliate in Pennsylvania. The journalist grew disinterested as she was largely ignored by Merola. She was hoping to be invited to his property and see the slaughterhouse. Her interest waned when she realized that she would never be able to get the 'story' she wanted.

Ms. Sorvino made several visits to the Cowtown Rodeo to see Merola compete; however, she was never alone. Merola still considers Ms. Nash a 'friend' and as of March 19, 2009 at 8:43 pm Ms. Nash called Merola and he informed her that his physician is testing him for throat cancer. He requested that Ms. Nash send him an email as he has lost his voice and is barely able to speak. Here is the phone
record of that call. The phone used is a Vonage phone that logs all incoming and outgoing calls in real time and the data can be copied from the web site.

Mar 19, 2009 08:43 PM 18563715147 00:01:00

On September 4, 2008, Ms. Nash was able to get a ride to Bravo Packing. Ms. Nash is unable to drive as she has Multiple Sclerosis. She and Ms. Sorvino met with Merola and discussed buying horses as Ms. Sorvino indicated that she was a horse trader. Ms. Nash wanted to purchase some horses to be used for research. Merola was charmed by Ms. Sorvino and he agreed to let us buy some horses from him.

Ms. Sorvino was able to get a donor to pay for the horses, as well as the transport from Bravo Packing to Pennsylvania where her farm is located. Ms. Nash stated that she wanted to buy a filly with EPM - commonly referred to as 'Wobbler's disease' - and one Standardbred who was terribly malnourished, and the horse had a horrible case of bacterial rain rot. Merola commented that horses sold to us would
be the only horses that left his kill pen alive.

At one point, Merola became angry with Ms. Nash as she was discussing rape cases. At that time, Ms.Nash did not know that Merola was a convicted felon and had been in prison for a particularly violent rape. Due to Merola's anger at Ms. Nash, he slaughtered the filly with EPM. The Standardbred literally dropped dead 2 days after we saw him. Merola later got over his anger as he does not get much
attention from women, and he still wanted to sell horses to her.

Merola stated that his is the only slaughterhouse in the United States to process horses for carnivore consumption. He takes a lot of pride in his business, however, there are other slaughterhouses in the United States that slaughter for carnivore food. One of his clients is 'Great Adventure' in Jackson, New
Jersey and he delivers live horses for the 'Safari Park' so the carnivores can 'hunt' them.

Merola reported to Ms. Nash that in an average year, he produces 208,000 pounds of horse meat. He slaughters all breeds and wanted to charge more for Draft horses. Ms. Sorvino managed to acquire one Draft horse from Merola. When we saw that horse on September 4, 2008, he was only partially 'sighted.' When Ms. Sorvino took custody of that horse, his 'good' eye had been struck with a blunt object with such force that eye removal was required.

This investigation was sullied by 'Rescue Ink.' All that they did for us was give Ms. Nash the ride on September 4th. They travel the streets of the five boroughs of Manhattan listening for pit bulls shrieking from fighting inside the trunks of cars. While this is an honorable cause, Rescue Ink 'tipped' Merola off as Robert Mazella visited the plant and told Merola he was going to be inspected by the
New Jersey Department of Agriculture. Mazzella stated he was a reporter for the Associated Press.

Merola spent the day and night slaughtering every horse on the property. He had cleaned the water trough in the kill pen as it was thick with algae. He had cleaned the knives and saws as they were covered with blood and fat from the slaughtered horses. The state gave Merola a good report and that was due to Mazella informing him of the state investigation of a cruelty complaint. The state was unaware that Merola keeps the horses alive for as long as six months without feeding them before he 'puts them on the list.'

Mark Jurnove alerted Stu Goldman by calling him from the car when Eric from Rescue Ink was driving us home. Ms. Nash asked Mark Jurnove if he understood the concept of an undercover investigation. He kept speaking to Goldman. Mark Jurnove fabricated evidence by creating an audio CD allegedly capturing the sound of gun shots of Merola slaughtering horses. Goldman is aware of this, as is Robert Mazella. At the time that Mark Jurnove was there, Merola was in Wisconsin at an American Zoological Association convention. At no time did Merola shoot a single horse while Mark Jurnove or anyone else was there. Furthermore, Goldman and Jurnove are attempting to characterize Ms. Sorvino as 'unstable' in an effort to prevent her from testifying in this case. It is important to note that Goldman has never been to Bravo Packing. They do not want Ms. Nash to have any involvement in this case and Ms. Nash started the investigation.

This state suit should have never happened as Ms. Sorvino and Ms. Nash had retained an attorney in October of 2008 to sue Merola from the state of California. As Merola ships 'product' across the state line, we are able to sue him in Federal court.

Merola is not the only defendant in this law suit. Ms. Nash chose the venue as the state of California banned horse slaughter, Merola sells to zoos in that state, and
is most likely to enforce the Humane Slaughter Act of 1958. The NJ state suit is largely useless as there is fabricated evidence and the abuse of livestock is a 'disorderly persons' offense which carries a fine of $250.00. The prosecutor will have to argue that horses are companion animals and not livestock. There
has been an attempt in New Jersey to classify horses as companion animals and not livestock, however, the bill never survived the Assembly.

Merola is a cruel, dangerous human being. He is an alcoholic and a drug addict. He is functionally literate and often calls Ms. Nash to ask how a word is spelled. The state will prevail on Merola's possession and use of firearms. It is highly doubtful that the state will be successful reclassifying horses as companion animals and not livestock. Merola will be fined $250.00.

Ellen-Cathryn Nash certifies that all information provided in this statement is true and correct.
___________________________
Ellen-Cathryn Nash

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