Animal Abuse Cases - Details

En Español

Neglect - 29 horses, 10 cows - (Rush, CO - US)

Crime Date: 12/00/2004
Case Status: Alleged
Case Updates: Available - Click Here
Abusers/Suspects:
Abuser: Suspect's Name Unreleased

Case Report

Authorities have seized nearly 40 emaciated, sick horses and cattle from a ranch in Rush, where the animals allegedly were fed small amounts of tumbleweed and straw and not given enough water.

Officials with the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region would not release the names of the property owner and others believed to be involved in the case but said they will recommend to the 4th Judicial District Attorney�s Office that animal cruelty charges be filed.

�This is a case of unusual magnitude,� Humane Society spokeswoman Ann Hagerty said.

�They have to be terrible people to sit and watch animals suffer like this,� said Jody Kellis of Milo, Iowa, whose horse, Pippy, was found at the property.

The Humane Society seized animals in three separate visits to the property in December.

The property owners operated several businesses on the property, including breeding, training and boarding horses, as well as running a horse transport business.

Authorities would not disclose the address of the property.

The transport business centered around hauling horses adopted from farms in Canada and the northern United States, where mares are kept pregnant in order to harvest their estrogen-rich urine.

The urine is used to create the estrogen drug Premarin, used by women to combat the symptoms of menopause and as a preventive measure for osteoporosis. Foals are the byproducts of the industry, and a number of rescue groups have formed to arrange adoptions of the unwanted foals.

Kellis arranged for such an adoption in September of a 6-month-old horse, Pippy. The Rush transport company was supposed to deliver the horse to Iowa, but Pippy never made it to Kellis� home.

Instead, the horse languished at the Rush property, where authorities discovered her last month.

�She was pretty much starving to death,� said Kellis, who received photos of her horse from the Humane Society. �She couldn�t stand, couldn�t hold her head up.�

The Humane Society began its investigation in late November after the El Paso County Sheriff�s Office and the State Veterinarian�s Office received complaints.

Authorities have impounded 29 horses and 10 cows. One horse was dead when they arrived, Hagerty said.

�The condition of the horses was quite severe,� Kellis said. Several were estimated to be as much as 400 pounds underweight, and several fillies and colts were 100 to 250 pounds underweight.

One horse reportedly was dragging a large ball of barbed wire tangled around its foreleg.

Although 29 horses were seized, another 25 were left on the property. They didn�t appear to be suffering, Hagerty said.

�Because some horses were near death, they would have died if they were not impounded,� Hagerty said. �It was a matter of getting in there and getting our hands on the horses in the worst condition.�

Hagerty said the Humane Society has ordered the owner to properly care for the remaining horses. Officers are monitoring the ranch to ensure that occurs, she said.

Monica Barton of Hanover said she worked for the property owner in exchange for boarding and breeding two mares there.

�I started going out there on a regular basis in the spring. I�d notice some horses didn�t have water or feed,� Barton said.

Barton said she also noticed the hay was of a poor quality. She said she tried to help, even buying hay.

Barton said the woman managing the operation seemed to spend much of her time trying to run the hauling business, instead of with the horses. Barton said she went on a hauling trip in early November and returned to find many of the horses underweight.

The woman didn�t seem to recognize the seriousness of the situation, Barton said.

�It was like she was in denial,� said Barton, who said she then began cooperating with authorities in their investigation.

�I finally said, �Enough�s enough, I�m not going to sit back and let this happen anymore.��

Officials said some of the horses in their custody may belong to people who cannot prove they are the legal owners.

�We have a number of people very concerned about the horses they did commit to these people�s care. A lot of paperwork isn�t in place to return the horses to their rightful owners,� Hagerty said.

Once they�re seized, the horses become the property of the Humane Society, which may offer them for adoption if the owners can�t claim them legally.

The Humane Society will make five of the horses that have regained their health available for adoption starting Friday.

Information about adopting the rescued animals will be posted on the Humane Society�s Web site, www.hsppr.org, and is available by phone at 473-1741, ext. 157.

People interested in adopting a rescued horse or cow may leave their name and number at this extension to be contacted by staff. Notices of the animals� availability also will be advertised in The Gazette. Horses are adopted through a process of sealed bids to approved homes.

The Humane Society also is seeking donations to help defray veterinary and feed bills.

�In the first 10 days alone, the vet bills totaled more than $3,200,� operations director Leslie Yoder said.

Anyone wishing to make a donation should call 473-1741.

Case Updates

References