Disturbing Horse Cruelty Case Lands Temecula Area Couple Work Release, Probation Terms

“This just pisses me off! Pitiful sentence; anyone who can neglect such a regal & loyal animal as a horse…does not deserve the right to own & abuse another one…PERIOD!!! The fly mask was probably put on to obscure the severe skin ailment. It wasn’t just the hair loss, the horse was very skinny too; this poor horse must have been going mad through itching! BUT NO EXCUSE FOR LACK OF FOOD, THAT’S JUST CRUEL & LAZY!!”

By Renee Schiavone (Patch Staff) – June 28, 2016 5:50 pm ET

“I could see her spine, hip bones and rib cage. Her entire body was covered with a severe skin ailment causing hair loss, crusty patches.”

Skinny horse –Temecula, CA

Temecula, CA – A local couple who didn’t properly care for their mare have been sentenced to work release custody and probation in Riverside County Superior Court, officials said Tuesday.

According to to John Hall of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, 56-year-old Charity Wilson was convicted of the more severe charges of the duo, including felony animal cruelty and a misdemeanor of keeping an animal without proper care. Daryl Willliams, 51, was convicted of the same misdemeanor charge, but the jury was hung on the felony charge against him.

The case goes back to August 2013, when Riverside County Animal Services got word of a “skinny horse with a skin condition” at a property in the 44000 block of De Portola Road in the unincorporated Temecula area, according to John Welsh of the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

“I observed an emaciated chestnut-colored Arabian mare in a corral,” Riverside County Animal Services Sgt. Lesley Huennekens wrote in her declaration in support of an arrest warrant upon visiting the property. “I could see her spine, hip bones and rib cage. Her entire body was covered with a severe skin ailment causing hair loss, crusty patches of skin and stocking (swelling) up in her hind legs.”

Animal Services told the couple to get the horse examined by a veterinarian, but the woman told them she was treating the animal herself, Welsh said. ”

“Ultimately, the horse was relocated and proper veterinary records were never supplied to Riverside County,” he said. “The horse was later found in October 2013 at a Winchester property, and Riverside County seized the horse. The seizure was later ruled justified by a hearing officer.”

About a month later, on Oct. 24, 2013, the horse was euthanized and taken to a state lab for testing, according to Welsh. It was then that he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called pemphigus foliaceus.

This image shows the horse’s skin disorder. Courtesy: Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

“The horse was described as being in poor nutritional condition with a body score of 3.5 out of 9,” Welsh said. “The lab report indicated that her poor body condition was likely due to, at least in part, a consequence of the severe, often pruritic (itchy) and/or painful skin disease.”

“It was a shame that this horse went so long without medical care and deteriorated to the state where it needed to be euthanized,” Riverside County Chief Veterinarian Dr. Allan Drusys said.

According to the DA’s office, Wilson was sentenced to 120 days in a work release program and three years of formal probation. She is not allowed to own a horse for 10 years.

Williams was also sentenced to work release, for 90 days, the DA’s office said. He’s not allowed to own a horse for five years.

“We are pleased with the judge’s sentencing,” Huennekens said. “This couple never considered what was best for this poor horse. They tried to hide the horse from us – but we found her. Ending her suffering was a humane act, and seeing her abusers get convicted was a just conclusion to this sad case.”

News Link:–http://patch.com/california/temecula/disturbing-horse-cruelty-case-lands-temecula-area-couple-work-release-terms

Horses Hooves Not Trimmed For 15 years – Grow to 3 Feet Long

“OMG…can you believe the picture below?? I’ve only seen hooves like that once before; on a dead horse!! How can the owner have let them get into such a state they could barely move? It’s not like their so skinny they haven’t been fed, ok not a lot of food, but somebody had to have been giving them something; they couldn’t have lived to their ages without any food or water!! I just can’t understand how anyone, even someone with no knowledge of horses at all, is that dumb, to think it’s ok to just leave them! The poor horses must have been agony, any horsey person knows to keep a horse fit & pain free, a farrier is God; horses hooves need trimming between 6-8 weeks it varies; even if they don’t have shoes on, they still need to be trimmed!!

“I just pray whoever owns these horses, get what they deserve; in this instance prison without probation, along with having to pay in full, all vet & farrier bills. It’s going to take a lot of work from a very good farrier to get their hooves back into shape….but even if they do, the horses may be unfit to ride; due to irreversible damage to the structure of their hooves. I’m just in shock & have nothing but utter disgust at the owner’s blatant abuse & disregard for the health & welfare of these poor innocent horses!! R.I.P little one. Many thanks to (http://www.defhr.org/)USA for taking care of these equine!”

By Charlotte Ricca-Smith on 25th-Aug-2015

‘Critical condition’

The emaciated animals were discovered standing knee-deep in muck and with hooves more than three feet long. 

A miniature mare had to be euthanised at the scene due, because ruptured ligaments had caused the fetlocks to dislocate. The two others – one a full-sized stallion and one a miniature stallion ­– were in a ‘critical condition’.

“It’s the worst we’ve seen in our 26-year history,” Caroline Robertson, the development director of Days End Farm Horse Rescue told Caroll County Times. “They could barely move without being at risk of getting tangled in their own hooves.”

Three neglected horses have been found, with feet so overgrown it is believed they were locked up for at least 15 years.

Hooves removed

Before the horses could be removed from the scene, they had to be sedated so they could lie down and have the excess hoof removed. They were then taken to Days End Farm Horse Rescue (DEFHR) in Maryland, (http://www.defhr.org/)USA for rehabilitation.

The horses were discovered when a member of the public called the Humane Society of Washington County with concerns about pet pigeons kept there. It was during the welfare inspection that the equines were found.

‘Long road’

Both horses have been aged at around 18. The horse has been called Quest, while the surviving pony has been named Rio. Both have received further treatment from a farrier and vet and are now on the “long road” to rehabilitation.

An investigation into the case is on-going and cruelty charges could be brought.“Never mind could be…they definitely should be!!”

Days End Farm Horse Rescue is a non-profit organisation which currently provides rehabilitation and ongoing care for 78 rescue horses

News Link:–http://www.horseandcountry.tv/news/2015/08/25/horses-hooves-not-trimmed-15-years

 

Petition Success: Horse-Drawn Carriage Ban Introduced in New York ( if approved by city council)

Petition letter

“Thanks to everyone who signed petitions regards NYC carriage horses; with a bit of luck it will be no more!”

Target: New York Mayor, Bill de Blasio

Goal: Applaud taking action to eliminate horse-drawn carriages from New York City’s streets

Photo credit: jen-the-librarian via Flickr

Horse-drawn carriages have been a staple of the New York City tourism industry for a century. New York City’s Irish community makes up the majority of the horse-drawn carriage industry, and it has been intent on keeping its livelihood prosperous. However, animal rights activists cater to the opposing agenda, urging the New York City council to put an end to the city’s horse-drawn carriage industry. Their animal welfare concerns have been heard: Mayor Bill de Blasio will soon introduce legislation to end the horse-drawn carriage industry.

The horses of New York City that are forced to work long, grueling hours, and only given rest in small increments of time deserve fulfilling lives. They are not let out to pasture when their work in the city is complete each day. When the horses are on duty they are forced to dodge vehicles, endure excessive air pollution, and risk their lives for tourist entertainment. Every minute that a horse is on the streets of New York City it is at risk of being hit by a car. Mayor de Blasio is genuinely concerned about the welfare of these animals.

Of course, he has received significant backlash from some members of the community, as well as those who share ownership or are employed by the horse-drawn carriage industry. De Blasio has promised to assist these individuals in finding new jobs if the ban is honored.

When Mayor Bill de Blasio was vying for his current position he was heavily supported by animal rights activists. With their influence, along with a push from activists at Force Change and all over the country, Mayor de Blasio has unveiled a bill that, if approved by city council, will end the cruel horse-drawn carriage industry of New York City. De Blasio has publicly said, before and after election, that the horses’ welfare is his main concern.

Commend Mayor de Blasio for honoring his animal welfare stance by introducing this ban on horse-drawn carriages.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Mayor de Blasio,

Before you were elected as Mayor of New York City, you took a controversial, yet necessary stance against the horse-drawn carriage industry. You have officially kept your pre- and post-election promises by introducing legislation set to end the cruel industry. I am writing to thank you for your compassion towards the carriage horses of New York City.

It is my hope that the city council favors your legislation and passes it with no hesitation. Please use the signatures that this supportive petition generates to encourage the council to show the horses compassion. You and I know that the horse-drawn carriage industry is archaic and insufficient for the needs of the working horses; it is time for the rest of the city to share this sentiment.

Thank you for fighting for the horses of New York City. Countless mayors before you did not rise to this challenge. You are a valuable asset to New York City.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo credit: jen-the-librarian via Flickr

Link:-http://animalpetitions.org/36375/success-horse-drawn-carriage-ban-introduced-in-new-york/

PETITION: PLEASE BAN THE GRAND NATIONAL

“I’m sat here thinking of all the horses that will run today! Please pray with me that they all finish safely & return to their homes. Some horses can finish the race but die later that day or the next due to internal injuries sustained whilst racing!” 

Please sign the Petition:–http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/f/ACTIVE/petition/?id=10&campaign=horse

If your unsure about the Race Horse Industry, or don’t believe it should be banned, please, download Animal Aids fact files on Race horses below, hopefully it will change your mind:-

• Read our leaflet about the Grand National
• Read our Sanctuary Not Cruelty leaflet and report
• Read our Grand National fact sheet
• Read our background summary of the cruelty of horse racing
• Read The Trouble with Horse Racing

ACTION POINTS

The following initiatives would have an important impact on the welfare of Thoroughbred horses. We need your assistance to ensure they are implemented.

• The publication of comprehensive data on equine mortality, sickness and injury.
• A ban on the whip. It is not merely cruel, but our research shows that it is counterproductive from the point of view of the rider. Please visit our website for more details.
• A proper fund for retired thoroughbreds.
• A ban on the Grand National – a deliberately punishing and hazardous race.

BAN THE GRAND NATIONAL PETITION

Every year more than 400 horses are raced to death in Britain. The racing industry also slaughters thousands of ‘unprofitable’ animals who fail to make the grade. The Grand National at Aintree is particularly cruel and is designed to push horses to their limit and beyond. The majority of horses fail to finish the race, with equine death and injury being a routine feature.

We the undersigned: Believe that, however much welfare standards improve, the Grand National is morally unacceptable. We therefore call for a ban on this race.

SIGN PETITION HERE:-http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/f/ACTIVE/petition/?id=10&campaign=horse

News Link:-http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/horse/ALL/592//

Horse Race Cruelty! Animal Planet “Jockeys”

ANIMAL PLANET: JOCKEYS WIN OR DIE TRYING IS A CRUEL SHOW BASED ON A CRUEL INDUSTRY!

For more information on horse racing cruelty, visit http://www.chai-online.org, http://www.hsus.org, or http://www.idausa.org/facts/racing.htm.

!!!! Ban the Cruel Horse Drawn Carriage Industry in Chicago:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/Ban-…

*Photos used thanks to http://www.peta.org, At Our Hands, Animal Exploitation Gallery, http://www.chai-online.org and http://www.fund4horses.org*

Race Horse Death Watch – Background

Animal Aid’s Race Horse Death Watch was launched during the 2007 Festival.

Its purpose is to expose and record every on-course thoroughbred fatality in Britain.

The horse racing authorities have failed to put clear, unambiguous horse death information into the public domain, preferring to offer complex statistical data rather than specifying, as Death Watch does, the names of killed horses, where the fatality occurred, who was riding the horse and the nature of the injury.

We have good reason to believe that the equine fatalities we are able to list on Death Watch, and which we have verified, fall some 30% short of the true total. Disgruntled industry insiders have, in the past, supplied us with documents to support that view. Since Death Watch was launched, we have periodically produced special reports detailing the scale of on-course deaths, the most lethal race courses, the nature of injuries suffered, and the relative dangers posed by National Hunt, Flat and All Weather racing.

You can read those on the Death Watch Reports page.

Deaths on racecourses are just one part of the sorry story to be told about commercial racing. Animal Aid’s extensive research over many years demonstrates that the industry treats thoroughbreds as mere reproducible commodities. It kills or dumps thousands every year when they fail to make the grade or when their racing days are over.

You can read our reports exposing the welfare problems associated with thoroughbred breeding, racing, and training, and the disposal of commercially unproductive stock on our main website:http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/horse/ALL/.

A Total of 40 horses have died in 2014 alone  on UK & Ireland Race Tracks

 Link:–http://horsedeathwatch.com/background.php

 

PETA Petition: Horse Racing’s Daily Double: Drugs And Death – PETA Undercover Investigation

“I am seriously shocked & disgusted at the following painful treatments these poor horses have to endure. A horse, forced to run with a makeshift super glued hoof; later had to be killed! Please watch the video & read on screen or listen to how trainers, vets  or owners talk about their horses…the sick POS need putting down; not the horses! I am furious & sickened by what PETA documented. If you love animals; Please DO NOT BET ON any RACE HORSE either in the US or UK!!”

“PLEASE TAKE ACTION at the link  BELOW; please don’t let them suffer!”

Imagine being forced to run, being pushed beyond the breaking point, the bones in your legs straining to hold up the weight of your body, your bleeding lungs incapable of breathing in enough air, and forced to keep running in spite of it all.

This is what life is like for racehorses who are chronically drugged by trainers in order to mask their pain and make them run faster.

All this, just so their owners and trainers can win money or fame.

For the first time ever, PETA has captured these cruel, standard industry practices on camera during an undercover investigation of leading thoroughbred trainer Steve Asmussen. Watch now:

UGH: Horses Drugged for Racing!

Published on 20 Mar 2014

A PETA undercover investigation of a leading thoroughbred trainer reveals that horses are DRUGGED to make them run faster and to hide their injuries. http://peta2.me/2nnnb

Subscribe to peta2tv: http://peta2.me/2cuol
Take Action NOW to Help Stop This: http://peta2.me/2nnnb
Slaughterhouses: Where Race Horses Retire?!http://peta2.me/2nnnc
Deadly Races: http://peta2.me/2nnnd
Do YOU Love Horses? Help Them NOW: http://peta2.me/2nnnb
Animal Rights = Human Rights: http://peta2.me/2nnnf

“We witnessed a horse so sore it hurt him even to stand, thyroid medication dumped into horses’ daily feed, and horses who had been blistered in a bizarre attempt to stimulate healing. Even at this top level of racing, the syringe is the top training tool, and if the horses get out alive, they’re broken.”

PETA’s investigation revealed the following …

• Many if not all horses in Asmussen’s New York stable were given thyroxine, a powerful drug that treats hypothyroidism. Horses may not have needed the drug―they may have been given it solely to “juice them up” and push them beyond their natural capabilities.
• A horse’s legs were burned with liquid nitrogen, according to one trainer, and other horses’ legs were blistered with chemical paint, purportedly to stimulate blood flow to their sore legs but leaving multiple scars.
• Horses were also given muscle relaxants, sedatives, and other potent pharmaceuticals―treatments designed for ailments such as ulcers, lameness, and inflammation―at times when they had no apparent symptoms.
• Horses are reportedly sometimes electro-shocked with concealed buzzers to make them run faster.
• One horse, Nehro (who came in second in the 2011 Kentucky Derby), was forced to run with chronically painful hooves that actually had holes in them and that were held together with superglue and was eventually killed after becoming violently ill.

HELP HORSES NOW!

Contact your U.S. representative and senators and ask them to support the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2013, Senate Bill 973 and House Bill 2012, which would increase oversight and penalties for overusing drugs in horse racing.

Remember: The best thing you can do to help horses in the racing industry is never to attend any race, including the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes.

Participation in this action alert is limited to those who live in the U.S., but if you are outside the U.S., you can still help horses by sharing the video and encouraging everyone you know to skip horse races.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW AT THIS NEWS LINK:-https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=5365&utm_campaign=0314%20Horse%20Racing%20Investigation%20EA&utm_source=peta2%20E-Mail&utm_medium=Alert

 

Related articles

• A Horse Racing Controversy Surrounding an Oaklawn Trainer
• PETA undercover…
• PETA Accuses Top Horse Trainer Of Animal Cruelty Following Undercover Investigation
• Undercover PETA Video Reveals the Darker Side of Horse Racing
• And, The Asshole Of The Day Goes To Steve Asmussen!
• Undercover video leads to investigation into horse abuse
• End the Abuse of Racehorses
• Horse trainer accused of cruelty

Essex Horse Sanctuary ‘inundated’ with abandoned animals

“Where I live there are many travellers horses grazing at the side of the road! I fear for their safety & that of the people travelling past in cars that may not see them until it’s too late. In previous years, before being in wheelchair, I have had to go round-up loose horses & wait whilst police try to find the owners; but without the horses being chipped the police have no idea who they belong to! So we have just had to move them away from the road & hope the travellers or owners will see to them.

An Essexhorse sanctuary has said it has been “inundated” with animals that are being dumped in fields to “fly-graze” without the permission of landowners.

Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary, near Ingatestone, has had to turn away horses and said the recent floods have made conditions worse for abandoned animals.

The RSPCA said most of the horses are not micro-chipped so the owners cannot be traced.

The government has said it is looking for ways to tighten laws to stop horses being deserted.

Cordelia Hemming reports: News Link:–http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-26314152

Essex horse sanctuary ‘inundated’ with abandoned animals, BBC News

Published on 23 Feb 2014

An Essex horse sanctuary has said it has been “inundated” with animals that are being dumped in fields to “fly-graze” without the permission of landowners.

Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary, near Ingatestone, has had to turn away horses and said the recent floods have made conditions worse for abandoned animals.

The RSPCA said most of the horses are not micro-chipped so the owners cannot be traced.

The government has said it is looking for ways to tighten laws to stop horses being deserted.

Cordelia Hemming reports.

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS FAILING EUROPEAN ANIMALS

When meat is imported into the European Union the law stipulates that the animal must have been slaughtered in line with EU legislation.

However, when EU animals are exported, the same rules are not afforded to them and instead they can face brutal treatment and long drawn out slaughter.

Every year three million European animals are sent on long, stressful journeys to be fattened or slaughtered outside the EU. A vast number of these go to the Middle East where Compassion’s recent investigation, in partnership with Animals Australia, has uncovered immeasurable suffering.

Please take a moment to watch the film and slideshow below to find out more about this deplorable trade. Be warned; some of the film is distressing to watch, but it’s essential concerned citizens find out where European animals are ending their journeys.

Take action against the EU’s cruel live animal export trade

 

Published on 27 Feb 2014

Every year three million European animals are sent on long, stressful journeys to be fattened or slaughtered outside the EU. A vast number of these go to the Middle East where Compassion’s recent investigation, in partnership with Animals Australia, has uncovered immeasurable suffering.

Please take a moment to watch the film and find out more about this deplorable trade. Be warned, some of the film is distressing to watch, but it’s essential that concerned citizens find out where European animals are ending their journeys.

Watch, share and take action here: http://goo.gl/tEQQ2R

Please take a moment to watch and share our investigation. Warning: Due to its upsetting nature, you may need to verify that you are over 18 to watch the film.

When European farm animals are exported to non-EU countries every shred of protection they once received in their place of birth is rendered meaningless.

After enduring long, exhausting journeys by land and sea they may face terrifying ordeals at slaughter.

Animals are dragged by their limbs, bound up with ropes, pinned down by groups of men, beaten with metal rods, suspended upside down for extended periods of time, and eventually slaughtered in unacceptable ways that leave them conscious for many minutes after having their throats cut.

The European Commission has the power to take steps to stop this, but as each day passes without action more and more animals continue to suffer.

• The European Commission must work towards ending the live export trade and if necessary replacing it with a trade in meat.
• While a trade in exporting live animals continues, the European Commission must implement a scheme that will guarantee exported animals are treated in ways that prevent the worst of the suffering.
• The European Commission must provide practical support to countries that import live animals from the EU in order that they can improve transport, handling and slaughter methods. This will not only improve the welfare of EU animals but also of any other animals slaughtered in those countries.

Please take action today. Email the Commission and call for an end to this suffering.

News Link:-http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=25833&ea.tracking.id=7774353c&utm_campaign=transport&utm_source=actionemail&utm_medium=email&ea.url.id=204606&ea.campaigner.email=KmIGskm9q9s8Id8OlpmXxz%2BUx/5a9CUY&ea_broadcast_target_id=0

Please sign the petition at the above link Or below

http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=25833&ea.tracking.id=7774353c&utm_campaign=transport&utm_source=actionemail&utm_medium=email&ea.url.id=204606&ea.campaigner.email=KmIGskm9q9s8Id8OlpmXxz%2BUx/5a9CUY&ea_broadcast_target_id=0

Please also take a moment to share the results of this investigation and call on others to take action with you!:-www.ciwf.org/EUliveexports

Media Gallery

Related articles

• Graphic Video: Where Do Farm Animals End Up Once They Leave the Eu?
• Mercy For Animals: Meet Abby; A Cow Abused From Birth To Slaughter
• Very Graphic Video: Cattle tortured in Gaza – Live Export, Cruelty Exposed
• Graphic Videos: Yet More Egypt Cruelty Footage Emerges
• Graphic content: Slaughter Of Horses Causes Outrage: Petition To Sign
• Video: Live Goat Exports Exposed
• GRAPHIC VIDEO: We Must Shut This Slaughterhouse Down: Please Send Email

Upsetting VIDEO: Fury over beating of horse with a stick

“It is not the animal tied up; it’s the one doing the beating that is the animal….SICK POS….I would love to do the same to the aggressor. Arabian horses are noted for their flowing gate, & overall beauty; I would love to own one! It pains me deeply to see this sickening POS treat the horse in such a sadistic manner; I don’t know if the horse survived or not! I pray they are caught & given the appropriate sentence!!”

Sign the petition please:– http://www.yousign.org/en/saudi-horse

By Horsetalk.co.nz on Feb 19, 2014 in News

Anger is growing after video footage has emerged of a man striking a horse on the forehead with a stick, causing it to collapse.

Warning footage is upsetting – Men Laugh As One Strikes An Arabian Horse

Published on 15 Feb 2014

The perpetrator is seen to be laughing following the incident, as the horse appears to struggle to regain its feet.

The footage is believed to be of two Saudi men, according to reports. At the time of writing, nearly 500,000 people had viewed the footage on YouTube.

The animal was tied to a power pole when the incident occurred.

The reaction in Saudi Arabia has been swift, with efforts under way to identify those responsible.

The footage has been circulated widely online, with many Saudis demanding that those responsible be brought to justice.

Emir Abdelaziz Ben Saad Ben Jouli, a horse breeder in the Al-Ahsa region in the country’s east, is among those seeking the arrest of the men.

“I’ve put my telephone number on Twitter, asking people who have any information about these individuals to come forward so that the police can arrest them,” he was reported as saying on The Observers website.

“I was appalled when I saw the video. I can’t understand how anyone can treat a horse – or any other animal – with such cruelty.

“I have already contacted a lawyer in order to launch legal proceedings against these people. All I want is for them to be sent to prison so that they understand the gravity of their actions and, above all, serve as a warning for others,” he said.

“This act is even more incomprehensible given that the horse, especially the pure-bred Arabian, is a very respected and pampered animal here.”

Arabian horses played a major role in the unification of Saudi Arabia, he said. King Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s first monarch, and his men criss-crossed the country on the back of Arabian horse as they fought to unite the country at the start of the 20th century.

PLEASE SIGN & SHARE PETITION

Twitter users have created the hashtag #محاسبة_معذبي_الحصان (“punishment for the horse’s torturers”).

The reaction on Twitter has been fierce.

“Humans without humanity,” tweeted @RazanAlDayel.

News Link: http://horsetalk.co.nz/2014/02/19/fury-beating-horse-stick/#.UwzJauPucZw

Abandoned Thoroughbred, Defense Team, rescued by South Florida SPCA

“I would be first in line to pick up this stunning mare, how anyone could just abandon her is beyond my comprehension; there is no & never will be, a good enough excuse for this cruel crime, whilst animal organisation exist to help!. But a former race horse that costs thousands, then doesn’t race well, is more than often sent to slaughter or abandoned! I hope they find whomever she belonged to; then proceed with criminal charges! Then I hope Defense Team gets a forever home & is loved for the rest of her life!!!”

MIAMI, FL (February 17, 2014)

 Defense Team, a Thoroughbred gelding, was rescued today by South Florida SPCA. Laurie Waggoner, SFSPCA director of ranch operations, received  a mid-morning call from a Hialeah farmer who reported the former racehorse wandering along a road near one of his pastures, and that he looked “really bad…really skinny.” Waggoner and members of the Hialeah police department found the horse ambling roadside, eating grass.

If you’d like to donate toward the care of Defense Team, please visit http://www.spca-sofla.org/donate/donate-now and indicate that it is for Defense Team at checkout.

“His body condition score is a 1,” said Waggoner, referring to the lowest score on the Henneke System of Body Condition Scoring (view chart.) Fortunately, Defense Team does not appear to be lame or have any other major issues or injuries. He will receive routine vaccinations and a Coggins test, along with farrier attention to his hooves which appear to have been neglected for some time.

The horse’s tattoo number matched that of Defense Team, and SFSPCA learned he was foaled in Florida on April 6, 1999. He was purchased in Ocala, FL for $6,000, and raced only once at Calder on December 28, 2001 where he finished 11 out of a field of 12. (View pedigree.)

I will never comprehend why humans can throw animals out like trash; or just abandon them….heartbreaking!!!

Waggoner noted Defense Team seemed very happy to be found, loaded easily on her trailer and was welcomed to the SFSPCA ranch in Homestead with a nice, safe stall and a tasty flake of hay.

If you’d like to donate toward the care of Defense Team, please visit www.spca-sofla.org/donate/donate-now and indicate that it is for Defense Team at checkout.

Report horses or other large livestock animals that appear to be abandoned, abused or neglected. Call 911 for emergencies, or 305-4-POLICE (Miami-Dade, FL) for non-emergencies.

News Link:–http://www.spca-sofla.org/abandoned-thoroughbred-defense-team-rescued-by-south-florida-spca/

Carriage Horse Controversy Extends Beyond New York City

“As a life-long horse owner, I am so against this industry. No horse should be made to work up to 9 hours a day, dodging traffic, breathing in toxic fumes all day; with only 5 weeks a year at pasture…my comments are next to paragraphs I disagree with! Please sign the petitions & watch the videos at the end of this news post!”

By Pat Raia  Feb 12, 2014

While a high-profile ordinance that would ban the use of horse-drawn carriages in New York City has not yet reached the city council, the proposed legislation has drawn criticism from carriage operators as well as from a veterinarian who believes such a ban is not necessarily in the horses’ best interest.

Horse carriage owners and operators oppose such legislation on grounds that their industry is already heavily regulated, and their horses are well-protected under a current law. Photo: John Manuel/Wikimedia Commons

Last year, Allie Feldman, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets (NYCLASS), called for a citywide ban on horse-drawn carriages on grounds that the carriages were inhumane. At that time, she said 16 members of the New York City council would support an ordinance that would replace horse-drawn cabs with electric vintage replica cars. In January, newly-elected New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said he would back any legislation that would ban the operation of horse-drawn carriages in the city. However, Feldman said that, so far, no legislation has reached the members of the New York City council.

“We haven’t introduced a bill and we haven’t even named a sponsor yet,” said Feldman.

Meanwhile, horse carriage owners and operators oppose such legislation on grounds that their industry is already heavily regulated, and their horses are well-protected under a current law. Stephen Malone, spokesman for the Horse and Carriage Association of New York and a 30-year owner/operator of horse-drawn carriages in the city, said an ordinance passed in 2010 gives carriage horses at least five weeks of vacation each year, bigger stalls, and quality veterinary and farrier care. “Whoopy fxxxxxg do…5 weeks of vacation a year, still isn’t sufficient!!

“This industry is regulated enough,” Malone said.

At the same time, Malone said the proposed ordinance would force him to relinquish his horses in order to make sure the animals never work again.

“These horses are not just business assets to me, they are my business partners,” Malone said. “They are not business partners, they are slaves that are over worked; nose to exhaust pipe up to 9 hours a day!!”

The lack of work is just one reason why veterinarian Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, Dipl. ACVN, a professor in the Rutgers University Department of Animal Sciences, opposes legislation that would take these horses from their owners and force them into permanent retirement on yet unspecified farms.

Ralston said regular work and a set routine helps to keeps horses healthy and enhances the animals’ quality of life. “Sorry, did she really say ‘ enhances the animals’ quality of life’?? What utter bxxxxxxt! Making a horse walk on concrete, nose to exhaust pipe, dodging traffic, up to 9 hours a day; could cause severe leg & hoof damage which would give no horse a decent quality of life!” 

“The carriage horses, on the whole, are showing no signs of distress or unwillingness to work when asked to do so,” asserted Ralston. “They are well adapted to their environment. If they weren’t, they would not last long on the streets.” ” Well I would bet if they had a say in the matter, horses wouldn’t want to be on the streets. It’s not a willingness to work, they don’t have much say in the matter; they are forced to work!”

More importantly, Ralston said, such legislation sets a dangerous precedent for horses as well as for the humans who look after them.

“If a horse is in its stall without access to pasture, but is getting quality basic care and regular exercise, should we say that this horse is being abused, or is it cruel to ask a horse to do a job that it is well-trained for and capable of doing without distress?” Ralston said. “No it’s not cruel to keep a horse in it’s stall, my horse is in over winter, as are most, to let the pastures rest!.But she goes on the walker twice a day & goes in the working arena twice a day; to let off steam & have a roll around with the other horses; so that isn’t cruel! But I do think it is cruel to make a horse work on concrete for up to 9 hours, surrounded by noise, fumes & dodging traffic; which I would say as a horse owner, would cause some amount of stress!!”

“This is the norm for a majority of the horses kept in urban and suburban settings, and this (kind of legislation) sends a terrible precedent that should have the entire horse industry up in arms.” “Sorry but horses are flight animals that could react in a second to a certain noise, which would put all parties in danger…I can’t believe a vet would say a horse wouldn’t be in distress…surrounded by loud noises & traffic…glad she’s not my horses vet!!” 

THIS IS NOT PART OF THIS NEWS POST – NYC Horse Accident – https://www.facebook.com/CarriageHorseCruelty/photos/a.369677376410171.94249.176907979020446/646860865358486/?type=1&theater

Meanwhile, Feldman declined to comment on whether NYCLASS will talk with horse-drawn carriage operators and others about what the proposed ordinance should contain.

“All I can say is that we intend to make sure our ordinance is fair and equitable to all parties,” Feldman said.

While New York City’s proposed ordinance is being prepared, lawmakers in Philadelphia, Pa.; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Chicago, Ill., are re-examining their own rules governing horse-drawn carriages.

In Philadelphia, Mark McDonald, press secretary to Mayor Michael Nutter, said the city has no current plans to ban horse carriages there. Instead, a working group is reviewing regulations already on the city’s books.

“The (working group) will focus on licensing and enforcement of our (regulations) regarding carriage horses and the stables that house them,” he said.

In Salt Lake City, City Council Chairman Charlie Luke said council members voted to support an amendment to the city’s existing ordinance on Feb. 4. In part, the amendment regulates the ages of carriage horses, authorizes random drug testing of drivers, and requires carriage companies to educate the public about the carriage trade and how carriage horses are cared for. Luke also said the ordinance puts under contract the company that provides horse-drawn carriages in Salt Lake City.

“The contract gives us more leverage to regulate the industry,” Luke said.

Finally in Chicago, Donal Quinlan, press secretary to Ald. Ed Burke, said Burke introduced legislation on Feb. 5 that would cease the city’s issue of new horse-drawn carriage licenses until all such licenses have expired. That ordinance, which is backed by Mayor Rham Emanuel, remains pending in the Chicago city council.

News Link: http://www.thehorse.com/articles/33385/carriage-horse-controversy-extends-beyond-new-york-city?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=welfare-industry&utm_campaign=02-13-2014

Facebook:–

• https://www.facebook.com/stophorseabuse
• https://www.facebook.com/events/520310184734450/
• https://www.facebook.com/CarriageHorseCruelty

Just a few of many Petitions:-

•  http://www.change.org/petitions/mayor-bill-deblasio-please-support-and-pass-legislation-that-will-ban-horse-drawn-carriages-in-nyc-in-2014-they-are-inhumane-and-unsafe
• http://www.change.org/petitions/new-york-city-council-demand-nyc-council-ban-horse-carriages#invite
• https://www.change.org/petitions/ban-horse-drawn-carriages-in-chicago