Thursday, May 21, 2009

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

To "Meet Monty" (video)cut and paste this URL into your web-browser;

http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=80781218&msgid=924062&act=VUJ\
J&c=375899&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.manesandtailsorganizatio\
n.org%2FMEROLA%2Fmontytrailer.mpg

16 comments:

bullie2000 said...

Please remove this; it will put the lawsuit in jeopardy.

Thank You so much.

Ellen-Cathryn Nash

http://www.manesandtailsorganization.org

Marc Jurnove said...

Could you please send me an email address I can send a private message to
Mz.Many Names

Anonymous said...

Warning Clue Gun to follow:

Choose the best argument from the passage that is most related to the topic of horse slaughter. (There is only one answer.)

A: Horse slaughter is illegal.
B; He can't spell
C: He's a sex offender that can't spell
D: He's a dangerous sex offending drug addict with lunch cancer that can't spell, and more.

Now choose the option that makes the author look like a nut job.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Merola is dead.

Anonymous said...

The scumbag should have been placed in the animal pens at great adventure and let the lions hunt him.

Anonymous said...

linkbacks posted at http://www.talkpa.net/do-you-get-possible-t12007.html

and


http://www.pennjersey.info/forums/cumberland-salem-county-forums/10831-bravo-packing-carneys-point-animal-cruelty.html

TMerola said...

the man is resting in peace. Get over yourselves, get a job or something.

Julia Decker said...

Excuse me to Tmerola or whoever the hell you are- Why the hell should he get to rest in peace? You're telling other people to get a job? MAYBE THIS SCUMBAG SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN HIMSELF A REAL JOB! Instead of molesting people and abusing horses maybe he should have acted like a man. I hope the devil is taking a baseball bat to HIS right eye, just like he did to a horse that ran from him. (People keep in mind this horse was already blind in the other eye and this psycho beat in his other one)

ISPEAK said...

Organizations Nash said did nothing told ISPEAK They found no cruelty and were turned off by Ms. Nash's heavy handed attitude.

August 2009 Sorvino requested I-SPEAK, to investigate Bravo and also pick up her friend Ms. Nash. Jurnove found underweight horses in poor conditions, not enough due to NJ poor livestock laws, and horses in poor prior conditions before bought by Bravo.

Jurnove videoed 3 cows shot in their backs (not heads) allowed to slowly bleed to death for 6 hours then called I-SPEAK director Stue Goldman, a SPCA expert who agreed Felony charges would be brought using the video and will try to add horse complaints. On the way home Nash infuriated screamed "we are not going to bring charges against him regarding just some dam cows. This is just about horses.", and told Jurnove I-SPEAK was not to be involved anymore.

During the trip to Bravo Nash repeatedly said she would get Merola, a convicted sex offender felon and told Merola after the visit not to trust Jurnove because he was working with the humane society. Merola agreed to meet if Nash did not come again with them. Due to this Nash was no longer involved in visits.

Ms. Sorvino requested the video Jurnove took along with still photos so she could make copies.

Sorvino had Jurnove come to several more visits, in one Jurnove noticed Merola shooting 1 pony who was terribly malnourished.

Merola’s father stated Merola had returned the day before from attending a zoo association meeting and the father had noticed the horse down and told his son to shoot him. Ms. Sorvino had stated to Jurnove she was going to go to the hotel with Merola for that meeting to encourage his sexual attraction for her. Jurnove said it may jeopardize the investigation, put her in danger and would tell her father about it if she did so.

When Sorvino went to buy the horses a few, including a sweet pregnant mare, had to be left behind (later killed) due to Sorvino's inability to control the horses. Jurnove was able to get the Mare to start walking into the trailer, but Sorvino told him to leave these horses behind.

Nash said Merola delivers live horses for the 'Safari Park' so the carnivores can 'hunt' them, which seems fabricated by her.

Sorvino then notified Jurnove he was not getting his video or still pictures he took back as Nash did not want him to get any credit for “their investigations” and would not attend a meeting with the Counties District Attorney he had set up so he and Sorvino could present a case for cruelty against Bravo. She only came after that meeting after Jurnove left so she could show pictures of just horses one with an eye injury she suggested Merola hit with a pipe to bring a cruelty complaints for just the horses.

Regarding Rescue Ink, Nash’s statement was completely made up to discredit people. Robert Mazella did not visit the plant along with her wild comments Merola spent the day and night slaughtering every horse on the property and cleaned up the property.

Sorvino, after Jurnove told her that they were going to bring cruelty charges based on the cows, went to the local police dept against Goldman’s and Jurnove’s advise to place her own cruelty charges regarding just the horses. As Jurnove and Goldman expected Merola was notified by the police that they would be inspecting his location along with the Agriculture Dept. It was because of Nash and Sorvino’s actions based on them not sharing any future credit of having Bravo closed down that Bravo is still operating in cruel conditions.


She then goes on with rambling legal statements showing her further ignorance of law procedures, besides claiming horses were not fed for over 6 months, but were still alive.I-SPEAK

Anonymous said...

Monty was a good friend of mine. Its a damn business. You all need to get over yourselves. You never gonna be able to save all the horses anyway and you know the horses there were dropped off by their owners and had serious problems!

Anonymous said...

u fucking people should get ur facts before u assume u know what goes on at the merolas farm!!

Anonymous said...

When you love something very much, it's very hard not to become emotional over it, the "it" in this case is horses. I think anyone who lays clame on a life is resposible for that life, no matter if its a horse or human. To say that to state the fact that this man, Mr Merola, has problems is an understatment. If you cannot control yourself around fellow humans, you cannot control yourself around animals. He apparently has alot of control issues, wither that is caused by drugs or not isnt really the big issue. The issue is the fact that such a man is allowed to be around horses, let alone "run a business" as some of you here call it. I personally dont give a crap what you do with horses, from training race horses, show horses, giving lessons ect, as long as you 1. Feed your horse 2. Provide a shelter with at least three walls 3. Provide vet care 4. Be able to train and work with your animal without unneeded force, you shouldnt have to beat a horse to death to get them to listen, and if you do there is something wrong with you, not the horse. The horse has been around much longer then humans have, they have a herd order, they protect thier young, they have a black and white system already set up that we humans HAVE to learn, not the other way around. They are preceptive animals, they have to be in the wild, and if they feel like theyre in danger, they will try to run, or brace for an attack. Think of a woman at night whos walking down an ally way at night, put herself in her shoes, then look at these horses. Now THINK.

As far as an about me let me tell you something. Im an horse advocate, and I have seen both the "good" and "bad" of the horse world, and this people is very bad. You cannot jusify what this man has done on the fact "we didnt know him" or "poor guy he was my best friend boohoo". What he has done to both horses and people is terrible, the horses and whoever he had raped would and could speak for themselves. You may not be able to tell a book by its cover, but usally by flipping though the pages you can tell what the story is about.

I know Im a little late in posting this, but I have to put my thoughts down as at least the last ones here. The one's above me shouldnt be the last things read about the suffering and unjustified death of THOUSANDS of magestic horses, who where at one time loved by a little girl, the champion at the track, or a shoulder to lean on at the end of a long work day. My parting words are, How you treat horses is how you treat people, you cannot be a good guy when you go to the barn and a bad guy when you leave..doesnt work. :A

Anonymous said...

Do not cast the first stone until you have all the facts. Seems to me these gals were more concerned with taking credit for the investigation than getting the facts about just who did abuse these animals. If they were that concerned they would have accepted all the help they could get. These gals have a lot of dirty linen in their closets that they have tried to sweep under the rug. At the end of the day the truth will prevail. Which I hope they are ready for.

Anonymous said...

I have the photos of this investigation as I knew Mr Jurnove- (now deceased) and we spoke of this case in detail. To only care about the horses at this scummy place and have no compassion for the cows that took 6 hours to bleed out before a chain saw was taken to them says horses matter more than cows, and I have horses! Those cows suffered terribly, paralyzed on the floor in a lake of blood! One reached up to lick Mr Jurnove, as if pleading for help. These were cows use to human contact. What a betrayal this must have seemed to them when shot. As for the rapist who shot the cows? He is dead now as well and sorry- rape is rape- and sick animal slaughter is still slaughter. You just can't get around these facts. And they are FACTS.

Anonymous said...

It is now 2014. If you want to do something heroic leave Bravo Packing alone their just the end to all means, go after the source of the problem. The person or persons who created their horrific end by abuse. This didn't just happen overnight. They were abused over years and years by the owner or when the owner realized their usefulness was over and they were tossed aside. At that point the owner didn't care what happened to them. Sorvino and Nash took advantage of a person that was in 4th stage cancer and knew he was going to die. At that point all discussion should have been through the owner.

Anonymous said...

It is now 2015. This is a case of horrible animal abuse on an on-going basis. Bravo must be shut down. The state of New Jersey deserves better. Dig a little deeper and the crimes surrounding this place will amaze.