Community Responds to Abandoned HorsesMy comments have been added, in red, to help with your letter writing. It is best to put things into your own words, and important that you print out and mail your letter through the postal service rather than just email it.
Reporter: Jessica Aspiras
Email Address: jessica.aspiras@wilx.com
This is the face of one of 69 abandoned horses at Turn Three Ranch in Grass Lake. Some so undernourished their bones can be seen clearly. At the Napoleon Livestock auction on October 20, weanlings born under the care of JCAC also had bones that could be clearly seen. What excuse do they have for the appalling condition of these young foals that may have been separated from their mothers too soon?
But thanks to overwhelming donations from the community - the future looks more promising for them.
"I've probably tried to field over 100 phone calls in the last 24 hours. People willing to donate anything from farmers with large quantities of hay willing to bring us large quantities of hay," says Laura Steenrod of Leelanau Horse Rescue. Still looking for an account of how much hay was donated, as the amount of hay purchased by JCAC was far beyond even a generous estimation of how much hay that number of horses would consume in the given time frame.
However the primary concern at this time is monetary donations. Certainly a valid concern. You speak of "overwhelming" response--how much money was donated that was meant for the care of these horses? Why was this not considered when Jackson County offered a bond request of over $134,000 which gave no account of the donations of money or hay to date?
"What the financial donation enables us to do is enables us to once something does get filled we can move on to the next thing instead of putting out there we need vet wrap and end up with 200-300 rolls of vet wrap."
The horse ranch was taken into the custody of Jackson County Animal control a little more than two weeks ago after a dead horse was found. A horse that had recently died of natural causes, a common and sometimes fatal condition known as colic, unrelated to malnutrition or abuse, and was awaiting removal. JCAC did not necropsy the horse, so it would seem there was no question of neglect there.
It's estimated the horses had not been fed or watered properly since last fall. A false allegation, made by one horse expert who was brought in after several other horse experts did NOT find reason to impound the animals. Apparently, JCAC shopped around for a vet that would say what they wanted to hear.
"The survival rate right now is pretty good. There's still exceptions when we start treating such as worming them can cause adverse reactions," says Kim Luce of Jackson County Animal Control. Is this why so many of the horses appear wormy, or have been confirmed to be infested with internal parasites, six months after the seizure? Did you assess that worming them wasn't worth the risk, and neglect to provide this basic medical care? There are ways of worming that are less risky to the horses' sensitive system, such as administering a partial dose and then treating again soon after. Where is the evidence that this was done? Evidence exists that auctioned horses had massive numbers of three different types of parasites.
Currently 30 mares are pregnant. But the outcome for the foals is not as good. We've been over this ... the defendants did not breed 30 mares. After the seizure, stallions were allowed access to mares and fillies who may be bred for 2008 foals. But by JCAC's own accounting, only 10-12 foals were born this year.
"We're hoping for 100 percent survival rate, but due to the fact that these horses have not received the right nutrition, the foals are going to be high risk." They have yet to report to the public the death of any horses with the exception of the injured paint colt they euthanized, AFTER cancelling vet appointments made by the defendants and waiting until weeks later to provide medical attention to the colt.
While the cleanup effort has been ongoing for weeks, it's not expected to be finished any time soon.
"Basically these horses are living in a garbage dump," says Steenrod.
A dump, that for now, is home to 69 hopeful animals. And where the majority have remained throughout the summer, allegedly in small pens without grass, while about 80 acres of grassy fields have gone to waste. They could have safely and inexpensively put up temporary horse fencing--there are products made for this purpose, for camping--yet did not. It is reported that most of the same hazards that were considered part of the reason for the property seizure are still in place at the Maute Road farm today.
Jessica Aspiras, Reporter
WILX-TV
500 American Road
Lansing, MI 48911
Time is of the essence.
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