# Just want to scream!!!!



## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I was on craigslist (I know I know - I am banned from there) and there was an add that said Free Horse, so I opened it.

Instantly I was LIVID!!!!

http://spokane.craigslist.org/grd/1136922892.html

I instantly contacted the county animal control that said the area that the horse was in was out of their jurisdiction and that I should call the sherriff - so I did - and the officer seemed nice but said they can't do anything and that "instead of giving me the run around" he was going to look into what needed to be done and get back to me. That has been 30 minutes ago and NO phone calls!!! I am so upset - this poor horse needs help immediately!!!!!!!!!!


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## nhsmallfarmer (Apr 14, 2008)

what are they crazy

27 yrs old?? they are just looking for someone else to bury the poor thing

and saying "Can't stand to see her starve and not get the attention she needs" OMG

broke to ride? at that age let the poor thing retire peacfully

do ya'll got a SPCA out there? I would call all your friends and show them that page have everyone put in a complaint 

poor animal they just had one up Maine that the state stepped in and took care of so weak poor thing couldnt stand up poor things


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

"Can't stand to see her starve and not get the attention she needs"

Okay, if she really couldn't stand to see the poor horse starved and really cared about it then why hasn't she pulled the hose aside to feed it?

Unfortunately we see that around here alot :sigh: 

Stupid people, I hate people sometimes :angry: :angry: :angry:


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## Thanatos (Mar 16, 2009)

Wow I didnt know a horse could look that miserable.

I keep sayin it, If the animal cant be cared for and you cant find a home quick then at least be humane and put it down.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

well, 30 minutes later I get a call back from the Sheriff that said that he called up to that county and talked with their division and I was to call immediately with the information.

I called up to dispatch and gave them all the info (I also have it saved in a word file - just in case). They are getting a deputy on it immediately so I am standing by.

Thanatos - sad thing is is this did not happen over night or even over a couple weeks - this has gone on for a REALLY long time. More then likely, the true cause of this, is because the teeth needed to be floated and so the animal can not chew any food, on top of being pushed away from what little food there is. I would like to see what the other horses look like.

That horse is probobly at most 1/2 the weight it should be.


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## Thanatos (Mar 16, 2009)

I get that it didn't happen overnight. I mean in general it still shocks me that so many people get animals not knowing what or how much care and time is involved with them, then instead of saying "wow messed up there." and then rehoming or selling or even having them put down, they STARVE them to death. The poor animal has no way to tell anyone nor do they go some where that someone else can see them and say "hey man you ok?" I takes intentional neglect to get an animal to that point. Just sayin how upsetting that makes me.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

You and me both! I took in a rescue mare last year, before you were a member, that was in foal that was starved. Thank goodness, not quite that bad, but still bad. She foaled 2 weeks to the day of getting her. I have all her weight on and am building muscle on her while she was nursing. The vet was so excited. I even had her gaining weight through the winter, which is hard to do - especially since she didn't have a blanket on and we are in North Idaho with 6 feet of snow!!!


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

oh my ...grrr. my heart just dropped when i saw those photos. 
 
THANK YOU for calling someone to help that poor horse, hopefully they'll get it figured out.


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## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

That's about how my horse looked when I got her. It really makes me soo PO'ed that people can do that to them and makes me cry for the animal. :tears: I'm so glad that you found that ad and reported them. :hug: Wish there were more people that would do that.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Allison...you are a sweetheart ...I am so glad you called the authorities.. :hug: ..you are very right ....that poor pony ...didn't get that way over night.....those people didn't want to spend a few dollars to get the teeth floated... A 27 year old horse ...with it's teeth unfloated that is in desperate need... is a road map to starvation...even if ...they were to take that horse to another area and feed it separate...won't let that pony get any nutrients to survive.....  so sad


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

i am going to be on the opposit of this a tad. A friend of ours had a horse that was near 30 (or might have even reached that and higher) and he was looking really bad. But they had him on special feed and had a fly coat on him in the summer and pulled him out to feed but still he couldnt gain weight. I learned to ride on that horse so it was hard to see him so thin and ugly. He died just about a month ago. It was so sad we all love that gentle horse. 

So not all skinny older horses have been neglected. I tell you if I had put a picture on here of Dandy you all would have screamed! But he was being taken care of diligently and his old age just made it hard for him to keep weight on. 

I am sorry but putting a horse down is expensive! not something one can just decide to do also when the horse is part of the family. 

Just dont be so hard on people when you dont know all the situation.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I am going to say - that this is not the case. The area that we are living in and the situations here - this is happening daily. I have a 26 year old quarter horse - and have seen horses much older then this, and there is no way that this is just from "old age". this horse has been starved and it is stated in the add that the horse was being staved as it was being bullied, so these people have allowed this to happen.

The other part of this, yes, it is expensive to euthenise, but not in our area. We have a purina dog food plant that you take the carcass to for disposal, free - and just down the road from where this animal is is Cat Tales who take in horses that people can not care for or that are "old" and they humanely put them down for free and use the meat to feed the big cats.

This animal is not only skinny, but has no blanket (if that skinny should have a blanket on to conserve any calories it can) but also has sores on the back legs.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

just remember a person is innocent until proven guilty. My cousin almost had the ASPCA called out on the farm for her horse -- someone tipped her off so she moved the horse.

Her horse was allergic to everything! and when I say everything I mean it -- including HAY! so she was always sick. They had the vet out at least once a month or more. She was on all sorts of medications and special hay that she wasn't as alergic to. It was crazy. Well eventually they got something right and the horse put on weight and was beautiful. 

I am not saying that his horse has not been neglected - just dont go on a linching mode here just yet


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Stacey, don't worry, I'm having some same thoughts as you. 

That horse, for being as old as it is, is not that bad. Our neighbors have a 25 yo mare that is on constant pasture and fed grass hay 2x daily. She has that big sway back with a sunken butt, she may look neglected, but it's just her old age makes her look like that. Our neighbors take amazing care of their mare, teeth floated, wormed, senior feed, but the old age just gives her that neglected appearance. Not all horses age the same. I also have a 25 yo gelding that looks way better than our neighbors horse, but it's just because of how he's built and how he ages.

I'm not saying this horse isn't underweight, but if it has a real bad sway back, that could give it the impression of being thinner than it is. See the withers on the mare?...right in front of them where the neck starts, if she was pretty underweight then that tends to have more of a dip in the neck making the withers look like they stick up higher. When horses start dropping weight, this is the first thing you will notice. When some horses get this old they tend to have a sway back and droopy butt giving the appearance of a starved animal when in reality it's just how they have aged. Like I said, i'm not saying she isn't underweight, but if you haven't seen her in person, I just don't think it's right to judge.

The fact that they are GIVING her away means that they are doing what is best for the mare even though the ad sounds a little cruel. The ad also says,,,to Approved Home Only, that means they care and want it to go to a good home. They obviously don't have the education or proper facilities to care for her so they're trying to find her a good home instead of letting her die or sending her to an auction. Who knows, have you talked with the seller? How do you know they didn't save her from an auction or get her from a rescue, or just get her from another owner?

I hope I don't get attacked, but just thought I would put my two cents in. If you don't have the whole story, then I don't think it's right to judge and call the sheriff's and animal control on them. Just another point of view.


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## nhsmallfarmer (Apr 14, 2008)

they have removed that ad from craigslist

I still believe that making a call was important for the health of the horse because they said right in the ad "dont want to see it starve"

its sad this has to happen but we understand as we had a 20 something horse which had no teeth couldnt put weight on him, he was under vet care and we had the spca called on us as well as the state police and some people complained to our town about him, we were trying our best as we proved with vet bills, grain bills ect.

so yes there are exceptions

I do hope everything turns out well for that horse as it did for the horse they just helped in Maine
http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=103682


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Working in Veterinary medicine for a long time I saw this alot with people. The Sheriff has gone out and an order has been given for them to take the horse to the Vet. If it turns out that the bloodwork and everything is fine - great, but they have to show that they took it to a vet.

I, personally, would rather someone call on me if they suspected cruelty then to allow it to happen. When I brought Laverne in, the first thing that I did was have them sign when they gave me the horse, and took pictures of every inch of her. Then I had the vet our within a week to write a statement to keep with me, because honestly, I thought someone would turn me in and didn't want to be accused of starving and neglecting that poor horse.

I do not regret having someone take a look at the animal - as animals can not tell the "story" of thier life.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

The other thing that I forgot to add, was that the animal control here looked at the add and pictures and are the ones that ask that I refer it on, since they did not have jurisdiction.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

It was brought to my attention that the phone number in the craigs list add is also the number on this website:

http://www.angelfire.com/country/rmr/horses4sale.html

It seems as though they actually rescue horses and find them new homes.



> 4-SALE: We are pleased to be able to help and encourage Rose Mountain Ranch with their
> endeavor in coming to the aid of the many neglected and abandoned horses in the area.
> Check out the story on these horses and find one you may want to take home.
> As more horses become available we will add to the list.
> 509-233-8146


I do believe there is more to this story then meets the eye.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I saw that the ad was removed.

IF they have the proof that the animal was being seen by a vet and age or another health issue had contributed to the poor shape it was in, then they would have nothing to worry about. It is a very sad fact that though we all would like to give people the benefit of the doubt, 99% of the time it does turn out to be intentional. Though I do like to think that when an aged animal is placed as free, it is because it is easier for a loving owner to see them leave than it is to find them "asleep" or even have to dig a hole.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Sure does Stacey....judging by the website, looks like they are very responsible horse owners.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Liz it comes up for me :shrug:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

me to... :wink:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

and yes Liz & Allison I dont want to sound blind to the fact that horses and other animals are mistreated, unfed and just plan abused in some way by humans every day. 

As Admin I just feel it is my responsibility to keep things on an even level and to remind everyone that we have a system that (in theory) is "innocent until proven guilty" And of course I rather this situation truly be that way then not -hears hoping it all works out ray: .


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

stacey you have a valid point, innocent until proven guilty.


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## RowdyKidz (Apr 2, 2009)

That is horrible!! :shocked: 
I can see both sides of this though...

I am glad you called it in because you never know. :sigh:


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## Cinder (Mar 3, 2008)

I'm on the side "innocent until proven guilty" also. I am glad you called it in because she does look bad. If they are on the up and up and are taking good care of her then the authorities will be able to figure that out - either way, the horse wins if someone is making sure she's getting proper care.

Two years ago I had my 22 yr. old gelding looked over by a horse specialist. He was losing weight and I couldn't seem to stop it. He needed his teeth floated. I set up the appointment for a few weeks later but we got a huge snowstorm - actually continual snowstorms starting in December and literally snowing almost every week until February. We had 8 to 10 foot drifts... all the pasture fencing was completely covered with snow. Only the top six inches of my round pen fencing could be seen! My horses were in the barn (inside/outside stall/run) from December to March. 

The vet couldn't do the procedure here (even if he could have gotten to us) and we had no way of getting a horse trailer out. I finally got him to the vet the end of March. He was in bad shape... the vet and I were working on putting weight back on him through the winter but nothing helped until his teeth were floated.. then, he finally started putting weight back on. I had a lady come out to look at another horse I had for sale. She saw this boy, left and called the Sheriff's department on me for abuse. Thankfully the lady who investigates was very, very kind and level headed. I explained the situation and she saw my horses and said everything was fine. But, over a period of several weeks this other lady called EVERY SINGLE DAY to report my horses! The Sheriff's lady was really upset about the other lady calling them even after they had verified that my horse was under vet care and being properly cared for. Oh, the Sheriff's lady said they had more complaints of thin horses that year because of the severe winter and so many horses were locked up for so long with no physical activity.

By the following fall my boy was back to a 7 on the 0-10 horse scale. He's been good since but I've learned it's really hard to keep weight on older Saddlebreds.

So... don't jump to conclusions - get the facts mam... just the facts.


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