paintedhorizon
02-15-2007, 03:56 PM
This is about cases locally for me, however, I'm sure most of you have the same problems. Please take the time to read.
From the Director of Scare.
I wish I had real news to update on the status of the animals in Swansea, however, I've been unable to find any information. There was no time frame specified at the hearing last week, so I there is no way to know when the vet will visit the property. We know that the owner claims he has sale for the horses, at least, and can only hope that the Sheriff's Dept. will follow through to make sure they have coggins pulled. Given the two dead horses and other carcasses on the premises, the animals really need to be tested for salmonella and other infectious diseases before being integrated with other animals. I hope the buyer realizes the health risk. The bay filly had profuse diarrhea, which could be indicative of many things, including salmonella.
When I step back and look at where we are in animal welfare in our state, it is somewhat frightening. It seems that we have made very little progress from the time that I started with SCARE. There is still the mentality that the animals literally have to be dead or dying before they are seizable, and that as long as there is "food" and "water" on the premises, they are adequately cared for. The Swansea case is a good example. From the time that I was on the property on Feb. 3, they were told that the horses had to have hay that day. I left the property around 2:30 so there was ample time to have hay to the horses that afternoon/evening. The temperatures dropped into the 20s Saturday night, and the horses still did not have any hay until Sunday afternoon. The hay that they purchased was moldy, and that was acknowledged by one the deputies on Monday the 5th. It made no difference. As far as the Lt. making the decisions was concerned, they were in compliance with the law. The only reason that the animals had water was because we walked the property with the caretaker, and made sure that all water receptacles were filled. None of this, as I said before, was presented at the hearing.
Right now, we have a complaint of two horses that have been without farrier care for months and months, and one of the horses' coffin bone is reportedly exposed. The owner will not allow our rep on the property, and we can get no response from animal control in that county.
A recent Spartanburg case took the neighbors calling the media to get help for two emaciated horses that did nearly die. They have now each gained several hundred pounds, with supportive care and corrective dental work. Other animals that were not in good shape were left on the property, and are reportedly in no better condition, and are being bred. The vet that examined these animals initially said he didn't see any immediate concern either. The two horses that are in our care were each given body condition scores of 1 to 1.5. They had no place to go but dead.
We had another case in a different county where a pony was being kept across from the animal control office. That pony was finally euthanized after repeated complaints without any response, and much suffering.
In yet another county, we took possession of a pony and a horse and had to have the horse immediately euthanized.
Yet another case was called in to us from a EMT picking up the owner of the horses where the horse was standing in the back with a broken leg. The Sheriff's Dept. on the scene refused to get involved, referring the complainant to animal control, who of course refused to go out after hours. Fortunately in that case, animal control did go out, and the horse was humanely euthanized. I could go on with many more of these type of complaints, but I think the fact that we have a significant problem is obvious.
I'm sure that many of you have been following the case in GA where about 99 horses were seized, with many carcasses on the premises. The owner is now questioning the legality of the warrant used to seize the horses. It is a technical point, and has nothing to do with their responsibility for the many animals who have suffered under their watch. The Dept. of Ag. was the seizing party in that case, so at least there is some involvement from the government in these cases. We seem to have little to no support from any official agency in SC, and the responsibility has fallen to a handful of volunteers who are expected to take care of each of these complaints. The reality is that there is little we can in cases where education fails if we don't have the support of law enforcement.
I have three other complaints in Lexington County right now. Two of these cases are from repeat "offenders" for lack of a better word, where I have personally spent time providing education and guidance, and now, reportedly, the horses are in bad shape yet again. Frankly, I question whether there is any need in even proceeding if the Swansea case is a precedent.
We have to have involvement from community. If people in the community don't speak out and let their councilmen and lawmakers know that this is not acceptable, I fear the problem will only grow. Maybe this state is not ready to acknowledge that animals are anything more than a man's "property" and no one has the right to tell him how to treat his "property". While they are property, they have needs, and depend upon their owners to have those needs met. I'm interested in hearing any thoughts any of you would like to share.
Jan
Director of Scare
From Penny Lillis, volunteer of Scare
I have to agree that we need people to speak up for the animals in this State. Starting with our govenor, dept of Agriculture, local council men and women. I have been involved w/ fighting for the lives with horses in the Spartanburg, Greenville, Pickens, Abbeville counties recently. I am saddened and frustrated with the loss of 3 horses that had to be euthanized and the many left behind suffering daily because of little or no action taken by the authorities.
The pony who was stuck on a hill with it's legs spread trying to hold it's body up. He foundered and couldn't even take a satep. Animal
control told me they received over 50 calls over the years. Plus it was almost directly across from their dept. He was euthanized but it took some pressure to get him relief.
Then The white TW horse who I stood over for 5 hours waiting for a vet to euthanize because he was so weak from starvation he could not stand.
Of the Spartanburg horses it was just reported to me that the filly and her mom are still in with the stud and now that she is nearing a year old she is
most likely being bred by the stud. I witnessed her mother who is very thin being bred. These animals have not improved in their condition since October. There was also a pregnant mare that was with them who should
have foaled or is about to. The 2 we did get off the property are in rehab and doing well! The Animal control and the horse owner do not want me near the property. It's horribly frustrating! I think about the little filly w/ her skin and bones Momma and it breaks my heart!
Now what can we do to save the filly and the Mare!
Penny
From Kathie, another volunteer
Jan, I am as frustrated as you are. For every complaint received there
are, no doubt, countless unreported situations.
Even in the extreme cases, the laws are only as good as our ability to enforce them. If the "authorities" say moldy hay is hay and all you need is hay, there is nothing those of us who know better can do.
As a caring citizen, I have no clout. I can't enforce the laws; if in fact, there are any laws to protect the large animals. Without official recognition and support from a state agency, I have no authority. I can't enter someone else's property without permission.
Without official status, can SCARE do any more than an ordinary caring citizen can do? Sadly, I gather the answer is no.
I have general questions: Does the Humane Society ever get involved with large animal abuse/neglect calls? Does the Humane Society have "Official" status and if so, how does an organization get that status?
I'm afraid I don't have any helpful suggestions. Trying to get legislators to do anything is like watching Molasses run uphill in winter. Calling in the media helps get the word out, but when all was said and done, the horses situation doesn't necessarily improve.
I'm old. I lack the enthusiasm and imagination of youth. But, even my young horse loving friends are stumped. They see things that are not as they should be, but they know there is nothing they can do. We are frustrated. That's not helpful. I wish I had answers instead of questions and frustration.
Kathie
From Vickie, another volunteer
We all need to get directly involved in our local city, county and state governments. We need to push for better laws to protect the animals and elect individuals that will work to promote better laws and see that the laws we have are enforced.
We need to solicit Governor Sanfords office, Hugh Weathers at the Dept of Ag., the South Carolina Horseman's Council, as well as our local state and county Representatives. It would also help if we had the Humane Society working with us to push for better laws.
I have sat down with the humane Society in Greenville. They don't get involved with Horses. I have spoken to Pickens and they don't even get along w/ their local animal control. Horses again are not being looked after except by SCARE. I think we need to speak loudly as a large group but we need everyone to call, write an email or plan to get together as one strong voice for horses. Some of the Animal control officers admit to no education when it comes to livestock. I understand this but SCARE has offered to find housing ,provide vet care rehab with food and other neccessities for FREE thru donations. So if the county AC and sheriffs office would take care of their part and then the judges we would be half the way there. We also are dependant on volunteers and fosters to help provide their lifetime care.
Horses are not meant to do our deeds and then be cast away because they are old or require food/hay/wormer, farrier care and money to maintain weight and a quality of life.
To see a young filly with a 4 inch sore on her foot go without medical attention because it cost money. Heck if she isn't living in a junk yard where she got hurt that would have been a plus. We have state laws against most of the suffering being commited.
Yet the animal control sees every rib on an animal back bone and hip bones protruding and then says"well the owner brought in some moldy hay so he is complying". It's hard to sleep at night, I don't understand how animal control can sleep after that statement!
Vickie
Again from Jan Carter, Director of Scare
Please feel free to cross post this e-mail, and certainly invite them
to join our group. This is a huge problem, not just for large animals, but
the attitude that ALL animal welfare is treated. At least horses have SCARE and others who are specifically interested in that species, and there are small animal groups, but there is NO ONE to speak out for these other animals. I truly hope that we can all come together for the good of all, and change the way this problem is perceived.
There are those animal control agencies out there, Vickie - thank God. We
have an animal control officer diligently working a case as we speak with
one of our volunteers. We have all talked for years about the need to get
the Dept. of Ag or other agencies involved, and it all comes down to money.
I know in Georgia, the horses are rehabbed and auctioned off - or at least
that is the way they were doing it.
I saw a case out in the mid-west where the Dept. of Ag seized horses, they were rehabbed by a rescue group, and then auctioned - many still in tact stallions. When I contacted them, questioning why they didn't require that stallions be gelded prior to the sale, their answer was simply that it made them more marketable if someone were in the market for a stallion. I think it would be really hard to rehab these horses only to see them auctioned off without any qualifying process for the bidders, but at least I guess they have more of a chance than standing in a field or barn where they're starving.
Lots of questions....few answers.
There will always be situations that we don't like - horses that are receive
"marginal" care, but that's not what these cases are about. We get numerous complaints, particularly when it's cold, rainy, icy, about horses with no shelter. Obviously, that bothers many of us, but if those horses have good quality hay, and are in good body condition, they already have a leg up on many of their equine counterparts. The law requires "shelter" - and many consider stand of trees adequate. If they are well fed, they will survive. We may not like to see it, but it's not breaking the law.
You ask whether we have an "official" capacity. We do. According to our
state's laws, a judge or magistrate, can issue a warrant to search and seize to humane organizations incorporated for that purpose, and yes, we have signed warrants in the past. But it truly is the responsibility of law
enforcement to sign off on warrants. Volunteer organizations should not
have to take on the personal liability - risk of personal law suit, etc. We
already provide, free of charge to the state and/or counties, rehab, vet
care, farrier care, and all of the things that these horses need. It's not
asking too much to expect them to enforce the law.
SCARE is incorporated as a humane organization dedicated and created for the well-being of equine in the state of South Carolina. But the same laws that apply to citizens, apply to our volunteers.
Fortunately, we do have the support of many of the Humane Societies across the state, and frequently handle or assist them in their large animal cases.
They face the same challenges that we do. As for enthusiasm, it is hard to
have enthusiasm at any age when you feel as if your efforts do not make a difference. I know that many of our volunteers feel discouraged, and
rightly so. We all work very hard, and we do so just because we care about these animals, and want to see what's best. We all know we can't quit, because who will pick up where we leave off?
None of us like the answer.
Jan
SCARE website
http://www.scequinerescue.org/scare.htm
SCARE yahoo group
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/schorserescue/
From the Director of Scare.
I wish I had real news to update on the status of the animals in Swansea, however, I've been unable to find any information. There was no time frame specified at the hearing last week, so I there is no way to know when the vet will visit the property. We know that the owner claims he has sale for the horses, at least, and can only hope that the Sheriff's Dept. will follow through to make sure they have coggins pulled. Given the two dead horses and other carcasses on the premises, the animals really need to be tested for salmonella and other infectious diseases before being integrated with other animals. I hope the buyer realizes the health risk. The bay filly had profuse diarrhea, which could be indicative of many things, including salmonella.
When I step back and look at where we are in animal welfare in our state, it is somewhat frightening. It seems that we have made very little progress from the time that I started with SCARE. There is still the mentality that the animals literally have to be dead or dying before they are seizable, and that as long as there is "food" and "water" on the premises, they are adequately cared for. The Swansea case is a good example. From the time that I was on the property on Feb. 3, they were told that the horses had to have hay that day. I left the property around 2:30 so there was ample time to have hay to the horses that afternoon/evening. The temperatures dropped into the 20s Saturday night, and the horses still did not have any hay until Sunday afternoon. The hay that they purchased was moldy, and that was acknowledged by one the deputies on Monday the 5th. It made no difference. As far as the Lt. making the decisions was concerned, they were in compliance with the law. The only reason that the animals had water was because we walked the property with the caretaker, and made sure that all water receptacles were filled. None of this, as I said before, was presented at the hearing.
Right now, we have a complaint of two horses that have been without farrier care for months and months, and one of the horses' coffin bone is reportedly exposed. The owner will not allow our rep on the property, and we can get no response from animal control in that county.
A recent Spartanburg case took the neighbors calling the media to get help for two emaciated horses that did nearly die. They have now each gained several hundred pounds, with supportive care and corrective dental work. Other animals that were not in good shape were left on the property, and are reportedly in no better condition, and are being bred. The vet that examined these animals initially said he didn't see any immediate concern either. The two horses that are in our care were each given body condition scores of 1 to 1.5. They had no place to go but dead.
We had another case in a different county where a pony was being kept across from the animal control office. That pony was finally euthanized after repeated complaints without any response, and much suffering.
In yet another county, we took possession of a pony and a horse and had to have the horse immediately euthanized.
Yet another case was called in to us from a EMT picking up the owner of the horses where the horse was standing in the back with a broken leg. The Sheriff's Dept. on the scene refused to get involved, referring the complainant to animal control, who of course refused to go out after hours. Fortunately in that case, animal control did go out, and the horse was humanely euthanized. I could go on with many more of these type of complaints, but I think the fact that we have a significant problem is obvious.
I'm sure that many of you have been following the case in GA where about 99 horses were seized, with many carcasses on the premises. The owner is now questioning the legality of the warrant used to seize the horses. It is a technical point, and has nothing to do with their responsibility for the many animals who have suffered under their watch. The Dept. of Ag. was the seizing party in that case, so at least there is some involvement from the government in these cases. We seem to have little to no support from any official agency in SC, and the responsibility has fallen to a handful of volunteers who are expected to take care of each of these complaints. The reality is that there is little we can in cases where education fails if we don't have the support of law enforcement.
I have three other complaints in Lexington County right now. Two of these cases are from repeat "offenders" for lack of a better word, where I have personally spent time providing education and guidance, and now, reportedly, the horses are in bad shape yet again. Frankly, I question whether there is any need in even proceeding if the Swansea case is a precedent.
We have to have involvement from community. If people in the community don't speak out and let their councilmen and lawmakers know that this is not acceptable, I fear the problem will only grow. Maybe this state is not ready to acknowledge that animals are anything more than a man's "property" and no one has the right to tell him how to treat his "property". While they are property, they have needs, and depend upon their owners to have those needs met. I'm interested in hearing any thoughts any of you would like to share.
Jan
Director of Scare
From Penny Lillis, volunteer of Scare
I have to agree that we need people to speak up for the animals in this State. Starting with our govenor, dept of Agriculture, local council men and women. I have been involved w/ fighting for the lives with horses in the Spartanburg, Greenville, Pickens, Abbeville counties recently. I am saddened and frustrated with the loss of 3 horses that had to be euthanized and the many left behind suffering daily because of little or no action taken by the authorities.
The pony who was stuck on a hill with it's legs spread trying to hold it's body up. He foundered and couldn't even take a satep. Animal
control told me they received over 50 calls over the years. Plus it was almost directly across from their dept. He was euthanized but it took some pressure to get him relief.
Then The white TW horse who I stood over for 5 hours waiting for a vet to euthanize because he was so weak from starvation he could not stand.
Of the Spartanburg horses it was just reported to me that the filly and her mom are still in with the stud and now that she is nearing a year old she is
most likely being bred by the stud. I witnessed her mother who is very thin being bred. These animals have not improved in their condition since October. There was also a pregnant mare that was with them who should
have foaled or is about to. The 2 we did get off the property are in rehab and doing well! The Animal control and the horse owner do not want me near the property. It's horribly frustrating! I think about the little filly w/ her skin and bones Momma and it breaks my heart!
Now what can we do to save the filly and the Mare!
Penny
From Kathie, another volunteer
Jan, I am as frustrated as you are. For every complaint received there
are, no doubt, countless unreported situations.
Even in the extreme cases, the laws are only as good as our ability to enforce them. If the "authorities" say moldy hay is hay and all you need is hay, there is nothing those of us who know better can do.
As a caring citizen, I have no clout. I can't enforce the laws; if in fact, there are any laws to protect the large animals. Without official recognition and support from a state agency, I have no authority. I can't enter someone else's property without permission.
Without official status, can SCARE do any more than an ordinary caring citizen can do? Sadly, I gather the answer is no.
I have general questions: Does the Humane Society ever get involved with large animal abuse/neglect calls? Does the Humane Society have "Official" status and if so, how does an organization get that status?
I'm afraid I don't have any helpful suggestions. Trying to get legislators to do anything is like watching Molasses run uphill in winter. Calling in the media helps get the word out, but when all was said and done, the horses situation doesn't necessarily improve.
I'm old. I lack the enthusiasm and imagination of youth. But, even my young horse loving friends are stumped. They see things that are not as they should be, but they know there is nothing they can do. We are frustrated. That's not helpful. I wish I had answers instead of questions and frustration.
Kathie
From Vickie, another volunteer
We all need to get directly involved in our local city, county and state governments. We need to push for better laws to protect the animals and elect individuals that will work to promote better laws and see that the laws we have are enforced.
We need to solicit Governor Sanfords office, Hugh Weathers at the Dept of Ag., the South Carolina Horseman's Council, as well as our local state and county Representatives. It would also help if we had the Humane Society working with us to push for better laws.
I have sat down with the humane Society in Greenville. They don't get involved with Horses. I have spoken to Pickens and they don't even get along w/ their local animal control. Horses again are not being looked after except by SCARE. I think we need to speak loudly as a large group but we need everyone to call, write an email or plan to get together as one strong voice for horses. Some of the Animal control officers admit to no education when it comes to livestock. I understand this but SCARE has offered to find housing ,provide vet care rehab with food and other neccessities for FREE thru donations. So if the county AC and sheriffs office would take care of their part and then the judges we would be half the way there. We also are dependant on volunteers and fosters to help provide their lifetime care.
Horses are not meant to do our deeds and then be cast away because they are old or require food/hay/wormer, farrier care and money to maintain weight and a quality of life.
To see a young filly with a 4 inch sore on her foot go without medical attention because it cost money. Heck if she isn't living in a junk yard where she got hurt that would have been a plus. We have state laws against most of the suffering being commited.
Yet the animal control sees every rib on an animal back bone and hip bones protruding and then says"well the owner brought in some moldy hay so he is complying". It's hard to sleep at night, I don't understand how animal control can sleep after that statement!
Vickie
Again from Jan Carter, Director of Scare
Please feel free to cross post this e-mail, and certainly invite them
to join our group. This is a huge problem, not just for large animals, but
the attitude that ALL animal welfare is treated. At least horses have SCARE and others who are specifically interested in that species, and there are small animal groups, but there is NO ONE to speak out for these other animals. I truly hope that we can all come together for the good of all, and change the way this problem is perceived.
There are those animal control agencies out there, Vickie - thank God. We
have an animal control officer diligently working a case as we speak with
one of our volunteers. We have all talked for years about the need to get
the Dept. of Ag or other agencies involved, and it all comes down to money.
I know in Georgia, the horses are rehabbed and auctioned off - or at least
that is the way they were doing it.
I saw a case out in the mid-west where the Dept. of Ag seized horses, they were rehabbed by a rescue group, and then auctioned - many still in tact stallions. When I contacted them, questioning why they didn't require that stallions be gelded prior to the sale, their answer was simply that it made them more marketable if someone were in the market for a stallion. I think it would be really hard to rehab these horses only to see them auctioned off without any qualifying process for the bidders, but at least I guess they have more of a chance than standing in a field or barn where they're starving.
Lots of questions....few answers.
There will always be situations that we don't like - horses that are receive
"marginal" care, but that's not what these cases are about. We get numerous complaints, particularly when it's cold, rainy, icy, about horses with no shelter. Obviously, that bothers many of us, but if those horses have good quality hay, and are in good body condition, they already have a leg up on many of their equine counterparts. The law requires "shelter" - and many consider stand of trees adequate. If they are well fed, they will survive. We may not like to see it, but it's not breaking the law.
You ask whether we have an "official" capacity. We do. According to our
state's laws, a judge or magistrate, can issue a warrant to search and seize to humane organizations incorporated for that purpose, and yes, we have signed warrants in the past. But it truly is the responsibility of law
enforcement to sign off on warrants. Volunteer organizations should not
have to take on the personal liability - risk of personal law suit, etc. We
already provide, free of charge to the state and/or counties, rehab, vet
care, farrier care, and all of the things that these horses need. It's not
asking too much to expect them to enforce the law.
SCARE is incorporated as a humane organization dedicated and created for the well-being of equine in the state of South Carolina. But the same laws that apply to citizens, apply to our volunteers.
Fortunately, we do have the support of many of the Humane Societies across the state, and frequently handle or assist them in their large animal cases.
They face the same challenges that we do. As for enthusiasm, it is hard to
have enthusiasm at any age when you feel as if your efforts do not make a difference. I know that many of our volunteers feel discouraged, and
rightly so. We all work very hard, and we do so just because we care about these animals, and want to see what's best. We all know we can't quit, because who will pick up where we leave off?
None of us like the answer.
Jan
SCARE website
http://www.scequinerescue.org/scare.htm
SCARE yahoo group
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/schorserescue/