Why do people do this???

[SunQuest]

Tonight on our local news they reported another case of horse neglect. This farm is only 8 to 10 miles at the most from my house! Heck, about 5 years ago I helped to catch one of their horses that was running loose on Interstate 84 one morning on my way to work!

And what is really sad is that there are no organized horse rescues that I know of in my area to help any horse!

Here is the story that I copied from the news site at www.ktvb.com:

Horses seized at Meridian property
05:48 PM MST on Thursday, April 1, 2004

Ysabel Bilbao

Idaho's NewsChannel 7

MERIDIAN -- More than 50 horses are now in the care of the Idaho Humane Society.

The agency took the horses Thursday after what they say is years of neglect. The Humane Society says it's been working with the owner for six years.

 

Workers say they've told the man repeatedly to feed his animals. They say in the past they've removed a few dead and injured horsed from the Meridian property. But Thursday they took them all.

Sorry to interupt this report, but this has been going on for 6 years???? They have had to remove dead horses?

"We tried and tried and he stopped responding to our requests for how he changed the management of the animals, and so we were forced to go in and get them this time," said Susan Clark with the Idaho Humane Society. "There were a few stock pens that we had to set up on the property, and so we were able to put food in the pens and the horses went right for it cause they haven't been eating and they were hungry."

"It was very sad to see horses that are normally such a beautiful animal in a shape like this. It was sad to see," said Darin Eisenbarth with Zamzows.

The owner’s name is not being released. Clark says she checked the horses' condition everyday, sometimes finding a bail or two of straw, but a majority of the time finding nothing.

"If you get your hands on the horses all you can feel is ribs and bones and it's really bad," Clark said. "I hate to see them not treated well."

Russell George lives next door. “They've been without food lots of time and when there was food there wasn't enough for all the horses, so they were kind of fighting for feed and they were eating on the rose bushes just to get by," George said.

The owner did stop by while the horses were being loaded. He is not facing criminal charges because he signed over all rights to the animals.

Sorry to interupt again, but he is going to get off without charges??? You have got to be kidding me!

Just wait... I bet he will have more before the end of this year!

A veterinarian will be checking each horse, but right now they say around half are pregnant. All of them have lice and need to be wormed.

Once they are healthy again, the horses will be put up for adoption.

To help feed the horses you can contribute to the Horse Rescue Fund at local U.S. Bank branches.

Now the totals that I have heard on another station is 56 horses with approx half being pregnant. And one of the horses taken is only about 2 days old!!!

Here is a link to a video clip that KTVB has... http://www.ktvb.com/cgi-bin/bi/video/wmPla...idianhorses.wmv

Sorry... Just had to vent.

Anyway, I just had to post this... It is just so heart breaking to hear of 2 cases in the past month that have been so close to home... (The other was in OR which is our state's neighbor!);crybaby:

Added: Just a note... Zamzows was mentioned in this report. For those that are not local, Zamzows is a feed and pet supply store. They have mixed grain for years for livestock. And they are donating some feed as well according to another news channel.

 

[spottedrj]

i know how you feel......i had a man drop off a TB gelding to me(we rescue) because his nieghbor was going to turn him in if he did not feed the horse correctly,horse was found easting DOG FOOD!!!!!

he is about 150lbs. under wieght but doing better.

 

[kaykay]

just makes me sick that they waited 6 years. also their comments worry me as to feeding them. you cannot give a starving horse tons of food rirght from the get go. YOu have to go slow!!!

 

[fourhorses]

You know I had to chime in!!

About 10 days ago there was a rescue of 20+ horses in North Carolina. A couple days after that ~ 50 from a farm in New Orleans. And don't forget the ones suffering in someone's backyard due to ignorance.

Again, we need to educate on horses and especially breeding. There is no reason for this to continue happening in this day and age.

Laws need to be enforced AND animal control officers need to step up to the plate. Six years is a long time. I am sure some will have to be euthanized.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I saw it to very sad but I think the biggest problem is some people really dont see what they have in front of them and perhaps see healthy looking animals when the rest of the world doesnt.

just so you know Kay and Nila I have been in contact with the Humane Society and told them will drop off some of the brochures i got from you Kay - I did give one to my vet and next on the list is a couple for the state brand insepctors all of whom had no idea there was a mini rescue so at least the word is getting out.

 

[fourhorses]

I am getting together a "kit" to be presented to the National Association of Animal Control Officers. I hope to have the basics done in a month or so and forward it on to CMHR, LSER, Hooved Animal Society, AAEP and various experts in the equine field for their input.

Flyers are being passed out wherever I go - I'm hitting busy season and will be handing out a flyer to every barn and tack store, a dear friend is a national judge of various breeds and can get flyers out all over! As soon as my website guy gets to making my changes I will also be adding the CMHR link.

Your dedication is much appreciated CMHR!! I always concentrated on large horse rescue until Ringo and having Buddy is such a joy. I am now owned by Buddy and how can I not help when I have been blessed with such a little stinker?!

 

[BlackArabian]

It has happened before... and it won't change quickly.

One of my uncle's horses, Old Baby. Used to belong to a person who rarely fed the miniature mare.

She had to compete with large Quarter Horses for whatever food. When she was seized, at 2, she was under developed, SERIOUSLY under weight and a "lifeless" creature.

Many years later, she was "developing", and basically a healthy horse.