# UPDATE- Need Help



## Dee (Aug 16, 2005)

Well I still have not got a call back from the Alberta SPCA, but I did only call them yesterday.

I also contacted Alberta Livestock Protection. They are going to call the Alberta SPCA and find out what more can be done and look into it themselves.

I do have some good news!! That little mini that had been tied to the post since August 12 is now not there anymore! He had been there at least 4 days that I saw.

Here are some photos I took today after driving out there.

Some of the animals had food, some didn't and it was hard to tell through all the pens and garbage if the animals in the back had any. It was hard to tell who had water and who didnâ€™t. There are small buckets throughout the property still. They are not attached to anything so some are turned over and some arenâ€™t but I canâ€™t see inside them.

There is still a large horse still being kept in a very small pen at the front of the property. This horse is standing in a ton of mud and feces because there is no where to move around.

I also saw another 2 larger horses is somewhat of a bit bigger pen (most of the standard horses are kept behind the house/barn). You could see their ribs, but they were not in direly bad bad shape.

There are NO shelters in any of the pens. I only saw 1 round hay bale on the property in the driveway where 3 miniature donkeys are being kept and huddled in it for warmth. It was a cold, rainy damp day today.

Some of the minis were not out though. There is another barn on the property, but is BARELY standing. In fact I wouldn't even step foot in it. I wonder if they put some of them in there??

Anyways here are some photos I took.

This is a mini being kept next to the 2 standard horses and standard donkey at the front of the property. The barn where I believe the rest of the missing minis are is in the background. You can see all the garbage on the ground and wires that are hanging on the fence. The fencing actually is pushed in where this mini is standing. I don't know if maybe he was trying to get food or what.







This is what the rest of mini pictured above pen look like. He is actually the lucky one. He has the biggest pen and food besides that 30 some horses being kept on the 2 acres out back.






These are the mini donkeys being kept in the drive way. You can see the collection of washing machines in the background.


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## Dee (Aug 16, 2005)

These are 2 of the 3 larger horses at the front of the property.

Like I said they are not starving, but their ribs are showing, kept in a small pen with another large donkey. There was food and some tipped over buckets everwhere with no shetler.






This is the donkey being kept with the horses above. I am unsure of what is around his neck, but I know it isn't a cribbing collar.






Here are 3 minis. There is a 2 sided structure in their pen, with alot of garbage and some bath tubs. *Oh and just to be safe if you have a gas line emergency in this area the number is below! Just kidding!*





This is the barn/house where the family actually lives. I have no clue if it is suiiable for living in or not.


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## Dee (Aug 16, 2005)

These are the horses being kept in the bak. I have no clue if they have access to food (besides grass)or water or what condition they are in. This was as close as I could get.






This was taken sat. night from the road. Most of these minis, 2 mini donkey and 1 mini donkey foal were not out today.






Taken today from the raod. That is the front of the house.






This is the other standar horse in the front. This is just to the left of the photo above.


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## Dee (Aug 16, 2005)

another photo of a horse pen






[SIZE=14pt]This place simply doesn't have the space for all these animals and the owner doesn't have the time to property care for them all. I am hoping that at least animal conrol can seize some of these animals. That mean more, food, space, time, money, love and over all care can go into these horses. Also I am hoping that they will make them clean up the property. It is not safe for those animals to be kept in all that.[/SIZE]

I will keep eveyone updated.

Dee


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## kaykay (Aug 16, 2005)

What a mess!! i believe thats a catch strap on the donkey. None of the hay looks like it has any nutritional value at all. Just like feeding paper. This is so sad. Definately this family has gotten in way over their heads and need help asap. When i think how careful we are with fences etc here and still have injuries---how in the heck do they live without getting hurt surrounded by trash and wire??? I hope someone steps in soon.


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## littlehorse2 (Aug 16, 2005)

That's so sad. I can't imagine having my animals in those types of conditions. I hope someone does something asap!! My mom has a huge field next to her house That could house more animals than our 2 minis, but I wouldn't consider having that many in the 3 acre field. Keep us updated. If I can get one or two down to Massachusetts I would be happy to give them a new and wonderful home.

Christy


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## Dee (Aug 16, 2005)

OK I promise you guys that I will get this fixed!

I am still waiting for the SPCA to call me back. If nothing is done I will contact the medic and try to get them to do a story on this.

Heck if it comes down to it...and I mean really comes down to it....when there is no other way to get these horses out of there...maybe... I will call PETA. Give them something to actually save.



Oh sorry that was pretty darn rude of me to say



. Just how I feel.

Dee


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## mountain_waif (Aug 17, 2005)

....


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## Danielle_E. (Aug 17, 2005)

I don't agree. With the initial post about this situation and the fact that their are children living in a barn and with the conditions as they are it is downright unhealthy and dangerous. No, you did the right thing by calling the authorities, not only for the livestock but the children. Winter is coming soon and I can't imagine these conditions in a typical blustery and cold Alberta winter day.


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## Miniv (Aug 17, 2005)

The whole situation looks heartbreaking. I can't believe that they have children living in that barn building! I do hope the authorities step in for ALL the innocents involved!

Wishing you all the best in your good work!

MA


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## Dee (Aug 18, 2005)

I really don't think I would get PETA involved unless there was NOTHING that was being done.

I know and have spoke to many people who have contacted the SPCA and reported these people and nothing has been done. They have been warned many time and I guess this lady isn't even allowed to own these animals, but I don't know that for sure.

As for the kids when I talked to the SPCA I told them about the family living in the barn. They said that if the property doesn't seem fit for kids they will contact social services. The lady said that it is not uncommon that they do if kids are involved.

They also said that they are only allowed to look in barns and around the property, but that they will check out the "house" from the outside and contact who needs to be contacted if they fill needed.

I don't want to approach these people because of stories I have heard. Now they could be totally untrue, but from what I hear the mother can be quite rude and down right nasty when approached about all the animals on the property.

I will keep you all posted.

Dee

P.S. I am driving out again tomorrow to check up on things. I didn't get a chance to go out today.


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## EMB (Aug 18, 2005)

*Oh my! This looks so sad! It has been so cold and wet here this week that I can't imagine some of those poor animals being out with no shelter and not properly nourished.



Even well cared for and maintained dry lots are mud holes this week necessitating even the big horses to be moved. *

I figure I am about an hour west of where you are Dee and probably that farm. If there's anything I can do let me know. Sure couldn't hurt for another person to put a complaint call in.





You know, sometimes I don't get it around here. When I still lived in Edmonton I got fined $250. 00 for not renewing the license for the cat I adopted from the Edmonton SPCA. This is a neutered and microchipped cat who is an indoor cat!!



Then I see animals living like that.


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## justaboutgeese (Aug 18, 2005)

I see large round bales in two of the pictures. When left outside the outer layer of hay becomes weathered but leaves the inside in good condition. I agree that there are far to many horses on that piece of property but it looks from the photos that while they might not be up to the standards we would like to see that does not mean they are not meeting the minimum requirements to satisfy the law. The ribs showing might or might not be significant, there are a pair of horse near here that look the same way. They are foundered and every time they get more weight on them they just go lame. The strap on the donkey appears to be a cow collar, certainly not a common practice but I have seen them used before. Much of the clutter seems (from what I can make out in the photos) outside of the pens. There is one more thing that looks out of place. If that field with all of the horses in it is only two acres why is there anything green left in it ?? If you put ten minis on a one acre lot it would not have anything green left in it in just a matter of a few days. Do the horses have access to a larger pasture not seen readily from the road ? As far as the house is concerned I have seen some pretty weird dwelling places. There are atleast two stovepipes so they are being heated weather by wood, pellets or whatever. On the farm we had in New York there was a house that had at one time been a chicken coupe before a major renovation was done. Once you have reported to the SPCA you have done all that really can be done. As far a children living in those conditions a call to child protective services will bring about a quick investigation. Calling an animal right group would be out of the question as far as I am concerned. Thats my opinion but you need to do what you need to do. As far as PETA is concerned they do not want you to have horses either. This all being said I agree with you there are to many horses on that piece of land but there is a chance not much can be done for them. I added on to a thread just yesterday describing a similar batch of horses not very far from here. They started with horses for the kids and it all just got out of hand. This happens all over the country more frequently than any of us care to see.


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## mountain_waif (Aug 18, 2005)

....


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## Dee (Aug 18, 2005)

> There is one more thing that looks out of place. If that field with all of the horses in it is only two acres why is there anything green left in it ??


Yes, I know what you mean.

If you look in the 3 photo on my 2ed post you can see there are 2 more pens to the left of the horses about 2 acres each that are empty.

Then in the 1st photo on my 3ed post you can see one of the fields in front of them. I have no clue if they are moving them around or what, but they have stayed in the same field every time I have checked. They live in subdivision and I can see where their neighborâ€™s land starts. There also is another house behind them. So they are pretty much boxed in with no other land.

I am call the Alberta SPCA tomorrow to find out if they could do anything.

Yes, I do agree these horses must be being fed, but many of them are standing in way to small of pens in mud and feces, there are no shelters, the fencing and garbage everywhere is not safe, and there is no ponds anywhere for water. There are a few troughs in some pens, but only buckets on the ground in the others that are all tipped over. This place just doesn't have the room for all these animals.

Dee


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## Relic (Aug 19, 2005)

Forgive me sweetheart but on this issue l sure hope you know for a fact that you have all the actual facts to call these people down on the care of the horses and children. l mean have facts not just second hand info from a neighbor or just plain guessing. l do drive by this place on a regular bases and l sure don't see it the way you do. JMHO


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## Dee (Aug 20, 2005)

I don't know all of the facts because I have never spoken to these people. I have said that many times before.

I also have stated many time that what I know of these people is from what I have heard from people and don't know if it is all totally true or not.

That is why I contacted the Alberta SPCA. To let them take care of it, go in and see the actual conditions and talk to the people. If they need to do something then something will be done, if they can't do anything then the horses must be OK.

The one fact still stands that these animals are kept in cramped conditions with not shelters and dangerous amounts of machinery in their pens IMO.

Kaylee


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## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Aug 20, 2005)

While it does appear to be alot of horses in a small space..

If the no shelter thing were against the law (well at least here in ID) over half the people wouldnt have horses most here dont have any shelter not even a tree. Or they have one small shelter that not all horses can get under when they want or need to.

Who knows maybe these people are just in over there heads "rescuing" horses from somewhere and trying to help them and got overwhelmed?


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## Margo_C-T (Aug 21, 2005)

I'd like to point out that just because there is "green" in a field, it certainly doesn't mean that there's anything edible, or nutricious, there. MANY times, all of the edible plants have been eaten off, leaving weeds and other plants the animals will not/cannot, eat.(An example: can't tell you how often on "Animal Cops Houston", on Animal Planet, horses that are at death's door from starvation are picked up off of fields which are quite green-but it's not plants they can utilize!!)

Also-even if this WERE a situation where these people were'rescuing'-when you don't know when to stop, it can quickly become 'collecting/hoarding'-and the animals are in worse straits than when they were 'rescued'-no, you don't 'know' the circumstances behind the appearance-but one of the jobs of animal protection organizations is to investigate, and if needed, do something about, situations like this reported by members of the general public. I can say for certain that I would not want to think of one of MY horses living as those pictured are....I think Dee has acted correctly in this situation.

Edited to add: My copy of the animal control ordinances for the country I live in actually states that shelter IS required. Guess they put it in as a 'feel good' rule, because it certainly isn't enforced(people will not 'do without'; they will simply disregard/violate the law....)--the VETERINARIAN who used to live north of me routinely violated it, allowing a group of penned goats and a llama to go through a winter, complete with episodes of heavy snow, VERY cold temps, and howling NW winds, without so much as a windbreak.) He was regularly reported; I could see the animal control officer, AND the Livestock inspector, at least once, drive up and walk around-but, never during the worst of the weather conditions. What happened? He and wife moved, to a more 'secluded' area, where their neighbors can't see their place; I have no doubt these practices continue--(while in the process of their move, the llama ended up at the previous place, north of me, alone--and died due to an apparent lack of water....



)I rode my horse by more than once to see that the (numerous!)animals-these people certainly qualified as 'hoarders'-were out of water; feeding was bales at a time, then the horses and goats would be completely OUT of feed for days before the next volume feeding. I warn people away from doing business with this guy whenever possible(he still has his business location in my small town.) What is disgusting, IMO, is how seldom governmental entities(like Animal Control) and/or animal humane organizations, can-or will, really do much of ANYTHING, unless and until the situation has gone from bad to HORRENDOUS-and it is the animals who pay dearly. One of the reasons why the Houston and NYC "animal police"Animal Planet) shows are favorites of mine is that there actually seem to be some animal humane laws with TEETH in them in these places--we should all be so fortunate as to have strict, enforcable, AND enforced, laws of the kind needed in these situations!!! MHO.


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