This an update on the "MINI CONCENTRATION CAMP" in Kansas.
Jess Freer and I went to Kansas Thursday night and spent Friday morning spinning our wheels at the Sheriffs office. Supposedly he was not there. Eventually his deputy came out and told us that there was nothing to worry about out at the farm. Said the minis just needed some worming, that Mr Trembly was taking care of it. Bull S**t!! I told him that we were there to simply put an end to rumors and speculation and to prevent PETA from stepping in and putting their little town in the spotlight. I also told him we needed to see the minis for ourselves so we could report back to all you concerned people. He told us that Mr Trembly had nothing to hide and would not mind us going over to the farm. This is exactly what we wanted to hear. It was the only reason we stopped by the Sheriffs off as we knew we would not get any help there but needed permission to go to the farm.
It is as bad as anyone could speculate. In order for me to get the the trailer where Mr Trembly is supposedly living, I had to go through the field where the minis are. Several of them came up to me with a hopeful expression on their pitiful little faces. One gelding who is missing an eye followed me everywhere. The flys in his eye socket were horrible. I made it to the trailer and climbed up on the blocks to the door. Knocked..noone in. I looked through the glass door and saw some hay on one side and on the other I could trash piled up on the counter about a foot high. There is no electric or water going to the trailer where we've been told Mr Trembly lives while he is caring for his beloved minis. No way can anyone live there, it not habitable. Another lie! I left my CMHR card on the door so he would know we had been there.
On my way back to the truck, I passed through the herd again. Most I could pet as they just stood there. I cried! The backbones and hips were painfully prominate, their heads hung down and they followed me again, hoping for some food and attention. There are several pens with minis in them. All are horrible looking. I think most are the stallions as I didn't see any stallions in the herd. There is one pen that is about 12 x 12 that a single mini is in. He walks in circles. Same circle, just walks and walks, it is so sad. Cried again. Another pen has a single weanling. His legs are bad, doesn't seem to walk well. There is a round bale of hay in the filed. There were 20 minis around it eating. I wondered why the rest wern't out there too till I saw what they were eating! iI looked like someone baled weeds. The whole 80 acre farm is either weeds, dirt or trash. I could not see one edible blade of grass. I watched as one mini picked up a dried stick and ate it. Cried again. Checked the main herds water buckets...no water...not a drop.
Jess and I left after that to meet with Ronni, the woman who originally contacted us with the report of starved minis. She supplied the pictures you all have seen. Ronni is very willing to file a complaint with the DA We ran out of time to do anything else with the local officials as it was Friday and they were all closing up for the weekend. One of us will be going back to meet with Ronni and go with her to the DA on Mon or Tues. As I really don't want to do another 12 hour drive (one way)we are hoping a Kansas volunteer will step up.
Jess headed home and Ronni and I went back to the farm. No one had been there. We had stopped at noon and were now back at 4pm. I couldn't stand it and watered the minis. So arrest me!!! I got mobbed when I started putting water in the buckets which all had about 2 to 3 inches of mud and who knows what else in the bottom. I spent about an hour there petting and checking the minis while Ronni took more pictures. According to Mr Trembly the few minis that looked skinny were his old ones. I checked teeth on most of the worst ones and only found one that might be considered old. The rest were NOT old, just starved. There are several minis who are in good shape. Maybe 4 out of the 100 plus I counted. There is also a very healthy looking donkey who is just a bit bigger than most of the minis. It was hard to tell if any of the minis are bred as most have wormy looking bellies. Some of these minis will not be around much longer if something is not done. The Sheriff seems content to do nothing till his 30 days is up and his office seems to think everything is just fine at the farm. Well, I don't!! It is a toxic waste dump, with no pasture, trash all over the place, noone is living on the farm and it looks like Mr Trembly should be in jail for what he is doing or should I say NOT doing with his minis. There is absolutely no shelter for them. There was no water till I put some out, practically no food and what there was didn't look edible. The minis in the many pens looked worse off then the ones in the field and they are misirable looking.
All I could see last night when I went to bed was those hopefull looking little faces, hoping I had food for them. I cried myself to sleep.
Pictures will be posted shortly.
I am sick and disgusted at the legal system, Mr Trembly and the people in that county that see what is happening and don't do a da**ed thing. I am also going to post a copy of the Statute of the State of Kansas under which I think Mr trembly can be prosecuted. As of July 1of this year it is a Felony to abuse an animal. That includes, no water, food, shelter and reasonable medical.
I have painted a picture of starvation and abuse. I just hope it gets to the right person. CMHR is doing all it can at the moment, but I promise all of you, one way or the other, these minis will be helped.
Pictures shortly, just as soon as I can upload them
Ginny,Very sad President of CMHR
: )
