25 Horses Seized in Oakland, MD (+cows/goats)

[Wait4It..boom]

Did anyone else see this when it aired on the news (last week I think)? So sad for the horses that the system failed them. Not sure why it could "be ignored" that long. Skeletons still with the halters on? Deplorable doesn't quite describe it.
The link is down on Days End Farm so I'm not sure what kind of donations they are looking for (monetary or supplies, or both?).

"Emaciated horses were brought to Days End Farm Horse Rescue in Woodbine for rehabilitation... Deplorable conditions in an Oakland, Maryland pasture without food or water, littered with horse and cow carcasses."

25 Starving Horses And Cows Seized From Maryland Farm | WUSA9.com | Washington, DC |

DAYS END FARM HORSE RESCUE - DEFHR - LISBON, MARYLAND

 

[SugarNSpikes]

"Criminal charges are now pending against the owner of the farm in Oakland, Maryland, a man who has been under scrutiny by animal control for the last four years."

Obviously, not enough, since horses just don't get into poor condition overnight. And carcasses? That's pretty severe neglect.

I'd like to string that man up by his toes and stone him.

 

[highnote]

"Criminal charges are now pending against the owner of the farm in Oakland, Maryland, a man who has been under scrutiny by animal control for the last four years."

Obviously, not enough, since horses just don't get into poor condition overnight.

I have been very discouraged by the response of animal control, in several different counties throughout maryland. They don't seem to want to get involved until the animal(s) are in such bad condition they are almost dead. I even had one officer get upset at me (and become downright mean/angry) when I made a report of a farm full of severely neglected horses (in northern MD). There was no doubt in my mind that it was a neglect case (horses were covered in severe rainrot, hooves curled up from lack of trims, standing in deep mud, and no shelter at all for at least 25 head). Yet animal control insisted that the horses were fine... and blamed ME for making an unnecessary report! I've all but given up on animal control ever "helping"... because every single time I have made a report, it has never done a lick of good (for the horse). I understand they are likely understaffed and underfunded... but my experiences have shown they likely also lack the proper horse knowledge to properly evaluate equine cases.

 

[SugarNSpikes]

I absolutely agree with you. I have no use for animal control.

The people that live next door to my grandmother had a dog. He was left out back with no food or water, no shelter. Nothing. He had sores on his ears and the flies were all over him. It was downright sad. Animal control was called out NUMEROUS times, but never did anything. The dog, poor thing, finally died last year of heart worms after they finally siezed him because he'd been laying for days in his own urine. How horribly sad is that? It breaks my heart, and now these stupid people have ANOTHER dog. Animal control said they'd "take note" and make sure to check in on said dog, but nothing.

 

[Wait4It..boom]

The news story on tv was hard to watch. So many of the horses could barely walk and all had bones protruding through skin (no fat whatsoever).

 

[campinmutt]

a few years ago there were some starving horses in calvert. A friend had called animal controll several times until they would no longer return her calls. I went and took pics of the horses(from the road) and took them to animal control.(they ranked 1s and 2s on the scale)I first asked the lady behind the glass if I could report the abuse. she said they already new the farm and the horses were under vet care and the check on them regularly ...I then showed her the pics and asked "so this is exceptable?" they did alot of studdering....It was fair time and in an election year so I then took it to one of the commisioners at the fair.meanwhile I had already contacted another friend who had ties to animal rescues and we had arranged to take the horses as soon as they could legally sieze them. Days end took some ...there were 18 in total....good thing animal control was monitoring them so well.

 

[Wait4It..boom]

So animal control won't monitor horses but I used to see them driving around our old neighborhood all the time. Are they just more willing to pick up the strays they can stick in their truck?

 

[CountryLady]

I have been very discouraged by the response of animal control, in several different counties throughout maryland. They don't seem to want to get involved until the animal(s) are in such bad condition they are almost dead. I even had one officer get upset at me (and become downright mean/angry) when I made a report of a farm full of severely neglected horses (in northern MD). There was no doubt in my mind that it was a neglect case (horses were covered in severe rainrot, hooves curled up from lack of trims, standing in deep mud, and no shelter at all for at least 25 head). Yet animal control insisted that the horses were fine... and blamed ME for making an unnecessary report! I've all but given up on animal control ever "helping"... because every single time I have made a report, it has never done a lick of good (for the horse). I understand they are likely understaffed and underfunded... but my experiences have shown they likely also lack the proper horse knowledge to properly evaluate equine cases.

I agree.

 

[Wait4It..boom]

Is the MD State horse survey potentially enough backing to show horse education is warranted/needed (especially with the bad press of this recent incident)?
How does one go about educating them? Letters or petitions to have horses added to curriculum/workshops (if they already attend for cats/dogs/other animals)? A vet give a presentation?

Ignorance should be unexcusable when education is easy and/or available, especially with such a large population of horses in this State. It would benefit the horses here (and owners to be accountable) if animal control could marginally understand how to determine unhealthy circumstances or body conditions. In this case though, skeletons in the fields = gross neglect. I would have thought common sense may have prevailed on this one, but alas I am still left disappointed...

 

[highnote]

How does one go about educating them? Letters or petitions to have horses added to curriculum/workshops (if they already attend for cats/dogs/other animals)? A vet give a presentation?

Vet presentations are probably a good idea, but you can only teach people so much when it's not something they really CARE about. They probably need to consider hiring people who actually WANT to do that type of work... people who actually care about animals, not just a paycheck. Instead of doing everything necessary to help the animals, I feel they often do as little as possible to pass the time until 5 o'clock comes around.

 

[ilovemyappy]

Some people are just plain stupid! Others think they know it all about horses and then it gets out of control. People don't realize that when they have too many horses to take care of, they need to take action and sell or give them away. Why would anyone let any horse get to that point where there are rescues etc. out there that can help. You can't tell people what to do especially when they don't want to help the situation on their own. Such a shame we have a whole bunch of ignorant people in the horse field.

 

[CountryLady]

Vet presentations are probably a good idea, but you can only teach people so much when it's not something they really CARE about. They probably need to consider hiring people who actually WANT to do that type of work... people who actually care about animals, not just a paycheck. Instead of doing everything necessary to help the animals, I feel they often do as little as possible to pass the time until 5 o'clock comes around.

Once again,...I would have to agree!

 

[CountryLady]

Some people are just plain stupid! Others think they know it all about horses and then it gets out of control. People don't realize that when they have too many horses to take care of, they need to take action and sell or give them away. Why would anyone let any horse get to that point where there are rescues etc. out there that can help. You can't tell people what to do especially when they don't want to help the situation on their own. Such a shame we have a whole bunch of ignorant people in the horse field.

It is not just the HORSE field!!!

In the past few months and even as we speak the BLM have rounded up more than they ever have, wild horses, so that the welfare farmers can graze their 9 MILLION head of cattle on BLM land for next to nothing.

If it were 9 MILLION horses people would say sell them or give them away if you can't afford to feed them or send them to slaughter.

The horses from the recent round up are probably some of the most healthy I have seen. Well, that is until BLM rounded them up, and they started dying off due to poor care after castrations, etc...

Because we do not eat horses in the US, the WILD HORSES are being treated like a undesirable weeds growing on pristine pasture. They are one of Our National Treasure's, and their safety is being attacked by the very people our tax dollars pay to help keep them safe.

For decades, America's wild horses have faced tremendous pressure from the government, ranchers, the livestock industry, state wildlife agencies and others who do not support the protection of these iconic animals on Western rangelands. The situation turned catastrophic when the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that it was considering mass slaughter of wild horses in holding facilities as a means of balancing its books.
Wild Horse and Burro Protection

Now their continued survival is at GREAT RISK!

MAKES ME SICK!

 

[Wait4It..boom]

OMG- Days End posted a few pics of what they've seen at this farm.
DAYS END FARM HORSE RESCUE - DEFHR - LISBON, MARYLAND
They are pretty graphic so beware. I was in disbelief of the poor stallion locked in the barn standing in 3 ft of his own feces. He was running out of room to the ceiling. Still in shock and disbelief of how someone could do this...

 

[libertytyranny]

OMG- Days End posted a few pics of what they've seen at this farm.
DAYS END FARM HORSE RESCUE - DEFHR - LISBON, MARYLAND
They are pretty graphic so beware. I was in disbelief of the poor stallion locked in the barn standing in 3 ft of his own feces. He was running out of room to the ceiling. Still in shock and disbelief of how someone could do this...

Oh man. That is horrifying...and terribly, terrribly sad.

 

[PrepH4U]

Oh man. That is horrifying...and terribly, terrribly sad.

 

[CountryLady]

Updated links on impound coverage:

Alarming Animal Abuse Case Occurs In Western Md. - wjz.com

25 Starving Horses And Cows Seized From Maryland Farm | WUSA9.com | Washington, DC |

Animals abused on Garrett farm » Local News » Cumberland Times-News

horse rescue: 26 emaciated Garrett county horses are straining capacity at Howard's Days End Horse Rescue Farm - baltimoresun.com

WBFF FOX45 - Top Stories

26 Starved Horses Get a Second Chance - Baltimore News, Weather, Breaking News | WMAR-TV

26 Horses Recovering From Severe Abuse - wjz.com

 

[Trinityfarm]

Now that horse slaughtering has been banned from the US, more horses are left to die in pastures. Sad to slaughter any animal but the act fed our dogs and other animals. Too many animals in a bad economy do not mix.

 

[highnote]

Now that horse slaughtering has been banned from the US, more horses are left to die in pastures. Sad to slaughter any animal but the act fed our dogs and other animals. Too many animals in a bad economy do not mix.

I would have rather seen stricter slaughter regulations than elimination of slaughter completely. Now, more horses whose owners feel they have "no other option" suffer a long, slow death of neglect. If they could have made slaughter more "humane" it would be a better option than THIS.

 

[fredsaid2]

Now that horse slaughtering has been banned from the US, more horses are left to die in pastures. Sad to slaughter any animal but the act fed our dogs and other animals. Too many animals in a bad economy do not mix.

Banned in the US but an owner can still send a horse to the kill pen, now the animal just has to cross the US border. I don't see this particular case as a pro/con slaughter issue. The owners appear to be hoarders; they acquired, couldn't care for, and basically abandoned.