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Horses

Sent to Pet Experts January 26 2005 at 5:45 PM
   

I have 2 tenant owned horses on my property. They are badly neglected. There are no nearby horse rescue groups. What can I legally do? These tenents have refused to move because they need to keep theit horses here. I want them gone because of abuse / neglect of animals. I can not afford to feed / maintain them. Humane Society will not come to rural part of county. HELP!!!

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January 26 2005 at 5:47 PM (2 minutes and 14 seconds later)
         
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January 26 2005 at 6:23 PM (35 minutes and 56 seconds later)
         
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Humane societies usually don't have the "power" to investigate and seize animals anyway. 

When you are dealing with neglect/abuse cases, some spca's in some larger cities have animal control officers on staff that will investigate the situation.  In rural areas, it's almost always handled by animal control.  If your animal control officers have failed to check in to the situation, you can report them to their governing body.  In rural counties, it's often the health department (because one of animal control's main objectives is rabies control) or the sherriff's department (because of public safety).

Neglect is difficult to prove and, unfortunately, unless the horses are near starvation, animal control can only issue an order to comply. This means that they can order the owners to have a vet look over the horses and they can give a deadline by which it has to be done.  This means that the owners might be given a second chance to get the horses to a healthy state which would not solve your problem.

I suggest that you call animal control in your county and report the case.  Ask them when it will be followed up.  Ask them if they will call you to tell you when the case has been satisfied.  They cannot report to you any of the findings, only that they have investigated and whether the case is still open or closed.

If animal control fails to act, find out who the governing body is and call them.  Ask to speak with the sherriff himself if the sherriff's department or the health director if it's the health department.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.  I have been rescuing animals for years and help to investigate cruelty cases in my county.  I might have the information that you need.

 

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January 26 2005 at 7:06 PM (43 minutes and 4 seconds later)
         
Like the last respondant, I too have been rescuing animals for years. I was involved in pet rescue in Dade Co., Fl. for about 25 years. Nothing there prepared me for this situation. After 30 years as a south Fl. resident, I decided to move back home to Escambia Co., Al. My husband was a stroke patient, was bed bound & I felt the need to be closer to home and family. I moved husband, home, kennel, and 45 rescued pets. I made a mistake. Knowing I could not give proper attention to my ailing husband and my rescues I brought a brother & sister team with me.My husband died. My rescued pets were neglected by these two. Firing them accomplished nothing. The brother stole $40,000 worth of guns and tools and sold them from my husbands estate, he's now in jail. His mother & sister are still on my farm, though I have had them evicted. The horses hooves are split and started to curl. The 1 horse has 1 hoof split almost to the hairline and will become lame if nothing is done. She's a beautiful quarterhorse and it would be a shame to have to watch her be put down because of this. It is winter, no grass in the pasture, the sister gives them a half pail of sweet feed and grain every 4th day. They're not starving - just almost.
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January 26 2005 at 7:10 PM (3 minutes and 51 seconds later)
         
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 This sounds like a great recipe for colic.

I suggest that you call animal control right away.  Let them know what's happening.  Ask them to investigate.  If things don't improve, ask them to investigate again.

It sounds like you have had a tough time and I feel for you.

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January 26 2005 at 7:22 PM (12 minutes and 39 seconds later)
         
Reply to Tammy Falkner's Post: I guess I would feel better if I knew anything about horses other than they're beautiful creatures. I know the cost is high to maintain them and I can't afford them. Am I doing right by them to take a 50# bag of cracked corn out to them once a week?
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