Alleged Animal Abuse In Polk County [link]Want to see these STARVING horses? Get a load of this:
Jason Law | Aug 1, 2008
In the middle of a fenced in field in Polk County, a freshly dug grave conceals the body of a horse that neighbors say died from severe neglect. "Everyday you see these horses, they're almost starving to death. You see their rib bones, their back bones, their tail bones. They walk around. They look pitiful," says neighbor Denver Fields. According to residents on Upper River Road, three horses have dropped dead on this property in just under a year. The most recent casualty occurred earlier this week when one horse fell over and went untouched for four days. Denver Fields and his wife have made several calls to police, hoping for some kind of intervention to save the animals. "The horses are ultimately suffering for it. They're literally dying over there," he says. Jeff Scott lives next to the horse farm. One look he says and it's clear—these horses are starving. "They don't feed the horses. They've gone all winter long without being fed. Maybe a couple of bales of hay here and there. Just neglect. Real bad neglect," says Scott. Sheriff Bill Davis tells News 12 his department has received multiple complaints. "I've seen the sheriff over there two or three times telling them [to feed the horses]. They'll feed them for about a week then that's it. It's back to the same situation," Scott says. Another neighbor who declined to go on camera says he has donated hay to his neighbor just so the horses would have something to eat. Fields and Scott say the horses barely survived last winter. They're not sure if they can make it through another one.
Some of the article comments seem to be posted by the owner:
I can not understand what gives any of you the right to post such hateful comments. You have no idea what kind of person I am. I have had to bury three of my "family members". I have had to endure the grief that my two children have shown for the loss of each one. I am not "evil" or a "killer."I can't say what these horses looked like over the winter, but with neighbors who are out of touch with reality enough to think that they look emaciated right now, a shaggy winter coat might have put them right over the edge!
There is always two sides to every story. I will let you and all the "concerned" citizens know:
Horse #1 died of a heart defect diagnosed by a vet.
Horse #2 died of old age, he was close to 40. He had to be put to sleep when he was unable to get up after he had laid down to rest. They do lay down to sleep.
Horse #3 had a kidney condition which she had inherited from her mother. Just like a human, when a horse goes in to kidney failure the go down hill quick. Treatment by a vet was not enough and we lost her.
These horses are in no way abused. They are very well bred horses and have always been well cared for. It was a shock to them to leave a home they had been at all of their life and be moved to a smaller field. I am sure some of weight loss is stress related.
As far as letting the horse lie without being buried for days, you try coughing up 300$ and finding someone with a backhoe that is not on a job elsewhere to come out on the spur of the moment.
Learn the facts about horses and the owners before opinions are formed. Donkeys are not meant to be obese animals. He is also 25 years old.
Went to court Wed. with vet records on ALL the horses. We were there maybe 2 min.—case dismissed!!
2 comments:
Link no longer active. Hope the news has to retract their statements about these clearly NOT starved horses.
The damage, however, has already been done. Once labeled an animal abuser, even if vindicated, your cred remains right down there with child molester.
One comment sent to the station:
Mr. Law,
I am deeply concerned about your reporting regarding the horse allegations.
I have been the victim myself of unfounded outlandish allegations that have led to near ruin of my reputation and career. Those allegations came from County Animal Control. The ruin started with reporting similar to yours. I and MANY other horse owners have reviewed your pictures and story, and find it to be inflammatory and potentially damaging to the party. Horses can NEVER go a winter without food and water. It is impossible. They would be dead after a week or 2. Did you contact the sheriff department to verify the several visits "telling them to feed the horses"? It was not reported so in your story. The livestock community urges you to make better educated decisions when reporting on livestock issues. Perhaps a conversation with ranchers and farmers who raise the kind of animal you are reporting on. Or perhaps a conversation with an equine veterinarian who practices out in the field. Both would tell you the horses in your story are clearly not starved. I look forward to your coverage and follow-up story of the court proceedings. Apparently the man was exonerated of SEVERE allegations published by your newspaper, yet we have yet to see that information. You at least owe this gentleman that much.
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