by Karen Pearlman | June 1, 2026 6:55 pm
Photo courtesy D.J. Osborne
By Jan Hedlun and D.J. Osborne
June 1, 2026 (Tecate) — Tucked in the Eastern shadow of Tecate Peak (Mount Kuchama) on the border between the United States and Mexico, is the 99.8 acre Tecate Horse Rescue founded by D.J. and Mike Osborne, along with DJ’s Mom, Jean Becker.
The property was originally purchased in 2017 to build a home for themselves, family, and their own four horses. This changed in 2022 when Jean Becker contacted her daughter D.J. about a two-year-old filly 45 minutes away from heading to a Mexican slaughterhouse. They purchased the filly and brought her to the Tecate property and the Tecate Horse Rescue was born.
In July 2022 the non-profit became a reality and D.J. and Mike began the process of saving more animals. As of May 2026, they have rescued over 100 horses, mules, donkeys and ponies finding more than 65 forever homes. Today 34 horses, ponies and mules are safe at the ranch still waiting to be adopted.
Horse slaughter for human consumption is a multi-million dollar business and barely regulated. Texas is a direct funnel to Mexico and Canada. The United States has forbidden horse slaughter domestically since 2007, but has not halted exportation to Mexico or Canada.
USDA export data reveals that kill buyers shipped 17,997 horses from Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas to slaughter plants in Mexico in 2023. Numbers are not available for Canada shipments.
Although California is not on the list due to California Penal Code § 598c, which prevents export from California of horses for the purpose of slaughter, the slaughterhouse buyers have created a workaround California lawmakers are aware of and ignore.
Animals are purchased in California, sent to other states, then are sold to a slaughterhouse buyer and shipped to Texas via the slaughterhouse pipeline.
At the kill sites, perception is carefully cultivated that the ill and injured horses are the only ones slaughtered, but large pens of healthy horses are hidden from casual viewers as they make the slaughterhouses more money and are NOT offered to horse rescuers.
This means they are charging excess fees for the ill and injured, while healthy horses are kept out of reach.
One of the biggest facilities in the U.S. is the Bowie Auction House located in Texas. In 2022, they profited more than $4 million as a result of selling horses to slaughterhouses in Mexico or Canada. D.J. and Mike began their rescue journey in Texas at the Bowie Auction House, bringing home 64 horses.
The journey to health for these animals has not been easy, but most of them survived and many have been adopted to new forever homes.
In 2023 D.J. and Mike began receiving requests for owner surrenders from residents and realized they could save animals in the surrounding area, preventing them from being added to the slaughterhouse pipeline. They currently have 34 horses and burros in their equine community and are adding two from another shelter, and have agreed to take four horses from the Villa Chardonnay rescue currently ongoing in Julian.
Each horse at the Tecate Horse Rescue receives veterinary care, farrier support, and feed, as well as any immediate medical needs that come up. This averages approximately $400 per horse per month.
THR believes that horses are some of the best teachers and they have developed several programs for individuals or groups:
Tecate Horse Rescue is supported by an amazing group of volunteers, donors and supporters who make this mission possible.
With many plans for now and in the future, THR needs your help.
Please consider purchasing hay to help keep these animals safe and healthy and join the THR family.
You can give directly to: www.givebutter.com/horsesEAThay[1]. Any amount truly helps.
If you wish to help with the Villa Chardonnay transition — THR has agreed to support up to four horses if they can get the $400 per horse to care from them — please note your donation is specifically supporting the Villa Chardonnay rescue transition effort.
You can also support by sharing this article, volunteering, or learning more at: www.TecateHorseRescue.com [2] or at https://www.facebook.com/tecatehorserescue[3]
THR is at 652 Tecate Road, Tecate, Calif., 91980. It can be reached at (619) 928-4516 or via email at info@tecatehorserescue.com
Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/tecate-horse-rescue-saves-animals-from-slaughterhouses/
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