Jackson County horse care bill: $133,031
Posted by Press News Service
February 05, 2008 17:00PM
JACKSON -- Jackson County Animal Control spent $133,031 caring for dozens of horses in a high-profile case involving alleged neglect in Grass Lake Township, according to a financial report.
The amount is about $1,500 less than a judge estimated in July for seven months of food, supplies, medical care and wages.
Some of the expenses were offset by auctioning off most of the horses. The last of the 80-plus herd were sold or adopted out in November, amassing less than $50,000 for the county.
In December, the county Board of Commissioners had to transfer more than $104,000 from the contingency fund to cover the costs of caring for the horses.
Acting county Administrator Randy Treacher has said donations initially poured in, but trailed off as the case plodded along.
Animal Control seized horses from the Turn-3 Ranch in March, impounding the herd on a court order based on allegations of abuse. The owner and manager of the farm, James Henderson Jr. and Matthew Mercier, are charged with felony animal torture relating to three of the horses and misdemeanor charges of inadequate care for the balance of the original herd.
Animal Control Director Kimberlee Luce presented the updated financial report to the County Agencies Committee on Monday, saying she hopes Animal Control doesn't have to handle an issue of this magnitude again. The costs cover late March through early November.
Treacher said many of the horses required specialized feed programs, but critics say the horses had just weathered a harsh winter outside and never should have been seized in the first place.
Anyone who said these horses were in fine shape doesn't really know what went on out there,'' Treacher said.
Defense attorneys say the prosecution is stretching the meaning of torture beyond the common definition.
Luce didn't comment on the criminal case, which is ongoing in Circuit Court.
Information on the expenses of Leelanau Horse Rescue, which was involved in caring for the horses, was not immediately available Monday.
What happened to all of the donated hay, feed, halters, supplies, and cash?
There is plenty of evidence that Jackson County did not provide proper nutrition, did not provide proper hoof care, did not provide adequate deworming, and allowed studs to breed mares and young fillies under their watch.
There are many reports that horses, selling for as little as $100 a head, went to known "meat pen" buyers.
There were several reports of abuse of the horses, by JCAC employees and volunteers, at the MSU Pavilion on the weekend of the final auction.
We're still watching.
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