[ Post a Response | Lost and Stolen ]
Posted by Heidi S. on 3/12/2004, 9:57 am, in reply to "7 horses abandoned in Washington State/possibly stolen?"
63.224.231.21
>
>
>
> Â
> Vancouver, WA Top Stories | Local Sports | Your
> Weather
> The Vancouver Columbian
>
> .MAKE THIS YOUR LOCAL NEWS TOP STORIES
> FROM:
>
>
>
>
>
> Abandoned animals getting TLCBy John Branton of The
> Columbian
> The Vancouver Columbian
> Updated: 12:36 p.m. ET March 09, 2004March 9 - Seven
> horses and four dogs that were found abandoned and unfed
> at the Clark County Fairgrounds on Saturday are getting
> some TLC from animal-care officials and volunteers.
>
> The horses, one emaciated and with an eye infection, are
> getting food donated by community members and receiving
> veterinary care, said Sue Svendsen, president of the
> Clark County Executive Horse Council. Foster homes have
> been found for some, and officials hope more local
> residents will offer to take the remainder in.
>
> The dogs, three of which are white American Eskimo
> miniatures, appear to have spent three or four days
> locked in a horse trailer with no signs of food or water,
> said Kate Dulemba, community education coordinator with
> the Humane Society for Southwest Washington.
>
> When found, they were hungry, thirsty and dirty and their
> fur was matted.
>
> "We're going to clean 'em up, give them a warm place to
> sleep and some food -- and some love and attention -- and
> go from there," Dulemba said.
>
> After a story about the abandoned animals was aired on TV
> over the weekend, the humane society received more than
> 20 calls from people who were concerned about the dogs
> and offered help, Dulemba said.
>
> The dogs' fate is on hold while the investigation
> continues. There currently are no plans to euthanize them
> and it isn't known whether or when they might be offered
> for adoption.
>
> A man who said he dropped the horses off at the
> fairgrounds on Wednesday, and was planning to pick them
> up Saturday, is under investigation by the Clark County
> Sheriff's Office on suspicion of several counts of animal
> abuse.
>
> David Long, 37, of Chehalis, told an officer he was
> transporting the horses for someone else, sheriff's
> Deputy Don Slagle said Monday. Long denied knowledge of
> the trailer the dogs were found in, but it was determined
> to be registered to his address, Slagle said.
>
> In December, a jury in South Bend convicted Long and his
> wife, Janice, of 12 counts of animal cruelty, said
> Pacific County Deputy Prosecutor Nathan Needham. They had
> rented a pasture where they kept 30 horses that, after
> neighbors complained, were found to be malnourished and
> without water, shelter or veterinary care, Needham said.
>
> The Longs, self-described horse dealers and brokers, were
> sentenced to jail time, fined and ordered to have no
> dealings with horses during their two years of probation,
> Needham said.
>
> The strange case started on Wednesday, when a man
> appeared at the fairgrounds, said he was having trouble
> with his vehicle and asked to leave the horses there
> overnight, said Linda Moorhead, manager of Clark County
> Animal Protection and Control.
>
> Saturday, when the man hadn't returned, members of the
> Tailored to Ride 4-H Club noticed that the horses were in
> distress and notified TV reporters, Svendsen said.
>
> A fairgrounds employee checked on the horses, found the
> dogs and notified the sheriff's office, Slagle said.
>
> "They had no water bucket and the stalls hadn't been
> cleaned," said Slagle, who also is a professional horse
> breeder and trainer. "It's terrible. They lock these
> animals in a stall there and don't feed them or take care
> of them."
>
> A couple of the horses were suffering from a respiratory
> disease and one was wearing a halter that had been left
> on so long that its skin was growing around it, Slagle
> said.
>
> Slagle said he found David Long at the scene on Saturday,
> preparing to take the horses. Instead, Slagle called in
> animal-protection officials and began his investigation.
> Slagle said he likely will ask deputy prosecutors to
> charge David Long with several counts of animal abuse.
Responses:
