[stoneymeadow]

Had not seen this posted already so I wanted to get it out.....dozens of starving and neglected horses with over 90 found dead on the property.

link is to the rescue facebook page that took in some of the worse cases

https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=tn_tnmn#!/HHHMHR

Prayers for the horses and many thanks to the volunteers that are trying to make their lives better, even if it is just to comfort those in their last hours.

[SuperAlter]

I cant believe this thread has gotten 0 comments.

What a tragic situation and yet, it happens in our own backyards everyday.

Honestly, how did 200 horses go unnoticed?

[Lynnwood]

Its so very sad. There are thread after thread arguing the semantics of slaughter or breeding practices.

Sometimes I think just like in the Jill Burnell case it just comes down being owned by a terrible human and I use human lightly.

[millerra]

Honestly, how did 200 horses go unnoticed?

Very very sad. But how? There are areas where the farms are huge with few people around except the neighbors in the next section. It is quite possible no one noticed and/or kept to their own business.

[there are areas where you do not want to have truck trouble - no cell phone service and no one may drive by for hours/days and its a long walk to the nearest farm place....]

[tradewind]

Disgusting. However, I will say, that had you ever been to North Dakota you would understand how this type of thing can go unseen. Miles and miles of very sparsely populated areas. No neighbors, no car traffic, if they could even have been seen from the road. I think its a miracle anyone noticed at all quite frankly.

[sk_pacer]

I live NW of Williston, about 4 hours or so by highway and if I were to go across country, I could make it without seeing even a farmyard. I can drive all the way to the US border and not see a soul except for a few antelope and cows. My nearest neighbour is half a mile away and the farther south you go, the rougher the country and the population is even more sparse, so sparse, I can get to the vet clinic I use and only pass three farmyards in 40 miles. The other side of the border has even fewer people per square mile in both ND and Montana. No one seeing this isn't that improbable....we do not live in each other's pockets in this area and we don't count miles but hours for travel.

[FalseImpression]

I saw it mentioned in the post Mike M posted about that little girl who gave her money to save horses!!! I was so shocked... 99 horses dead???? unnoticed??
To think $30K was raised for JB's 4 horses??? and no mention of this... I know there is no end to this... so so sad and sick.

[Joanne]

Thanks for posting this.

I just sent a donation via paypal.

[spacytracy]

Sent my donation! Hard to see on the site, you think they need blankets?

[Tif_Ann]

The problem is the Dakotas are some of the lowest ranked states as far as animal cruelty and such. It's HARD to get anyone to do anything. This case - the sheriff has been involved since NOVEMBER!!! A vet was out in December and told them to feed different apparently. Wasn't until they showed up to check on things and saw two dead horses from the road that they were able to get a search warrant and go in.

Lots of local businesses are stepping up, and it's been pretty well covered on facebook and such out here. There was a seizure of 69 horses about three weeks ago in Rapid City, South Dakota as well. We're a state where it's usually pretty cheap to feed a horse, but we had a drought and hay prices more than doubled. It's going to be a really long rest of winter and spring ... we in rescues suspect we'll be seeing lots of this. And yes, it's always "if there was slaughter" ... it's well known out here that slaughter exists, and is a short ride to Montana where they go over the boarder. The people who let them starve are not typically the ones who will take them to auction and send them to slaughter - this guy, according to the sheriff, had a "soft spot" for horses.

[uphill]

The sad part is that the owners don't believe they did anything wrong in most starvation/neglect cases.

This is unbelieveable that so many horses had to die before they seized them. There has to be some better way to force people to take care of their animals or get help for the animals before it becomes a catastrophe.

[cowgirljenn]

The sad part is that the owners don't believe they did anything wrong in most starvation/neglect cases.

I've never been to court with an owner where they believe they did anything wrong. We've had a couple of cases where the sheriff's department shows up and the owner is actually grateful because they couldn't feed the horses and didn't know what to do. But if the case goes into a seizure and goes to court, the owners don't admit they did anything wrong. Even if there are dead horses on the ground. (We once worked a case with a sheriff's department where there were over 100 dead cattle, bones -everywhere-, several dead horses. The guy fought and fought to get all of his animals back).

[Derby Lyn Farms]

Am I reading this right, that they are letting the owner still care for the horses? From the article:
"Shipman says two other family members are there with the owner and have assured him the horses will be fed and watered"

[lovey1121]

Sent my donation! Hard to see on the site, you think they need blankets?

Yes, they need blankets and halters--dont have to be new or even clean. I am sending a check today.

[uphill]

Am I reading this right, that they are letting the owner still care for the horses? From the article:
"Shipman says two other family members are there with the owner and have assured him the horses will be fed and watered"

Sometimes it just is not feasible to move that many horses.