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Horse Involved in Abuse Investigation Euthanized

Posted: 6:20 PM Apr 11, 2007
Last Updated: 6:20 PM Apr 11, 2007
Reporter: Lori Dougovito
Email Address: lori.dougovito@wilx.com

One of the horses involved in the abuse investigation at Grass Lake Township's Turn Three Ranch was euthanized Wednesday. Lucky 7, a colt who was about one year old, had a non-treatable hip injury. An injury that may have been sustained while the herd was under the "care" of JCAC. Read on.

Less than one month ago, Jackson County Animal Control took control of the 69 horses at the farm saying they hadn't been fed or watered since the fall. Why are they still making this ludicrous claim? The owners, James Henderson Jr. and Matthew Mercier, deny that and have pleaded not guilty to charges of animal abandonment and cruelty. By the way, they have proof of care, receipts from hay they bought, and much more ... obviously not media worthy.

Dr. Judy Marteniuk, DVM, MS at Michigan State University's Large Animal Clinic examined Lucky 7 Wednesday. She says she could feel bones grating and he was in severe pain. "At this point and time it's difficult to tell whether it was something he was born with, an infection he had or more likely, trauma," Marteniuk says.

His injury was a long standing one, meaning he probably suffered through it for weeks or maybe months. Important to note that JCAC's own photographs of the horses before the seizure show this horse standing at a hay bale (wonder how that got there, magic?) and JCAC's own photographs of the horses after seizure show this horse on the ground.

The Leelanau Horse Rescue is currently caring for the remaining 68 horse, 37 of which are pregnant. Do they mean, 37 of which are mares? Because we've already established that only 12 foals were born, which seems crazy since the defendants claim only 12 mares were pregnant. People have donated nearly $15,000 to care for the horses. Wonder where that money went, since JCAC certainly wasn't buying dewormer with it.

Dennis Hurst, the attorney for the ranch owners, maintains the horses were never harmed. "The horses were fine when animal control took control of the ranch just a couple of weeks ago. We're very concerned about why it is the animal was put to sleep while it was under the care and control of the animal control division." So are we. The defendants learned about this after the fact. Remember, the horses had not yet at this time been forfeited ... the men still not found guilty of any crime.

The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office is now looking into the possibility of more changes now that this horse had to be put to sleep.

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