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[RC] More on the abandoned horses/dogs - heidi sowards


Here's the whole story, not stolen, just abused!!! Poor
things!! Makes me feel better when I'm complaining my
horses have some mud to get through to get in their clean,
warm stalls with plenty of food and water!!!

heidi






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      Vancouver, WA Top Stories | Local Sports | Your
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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.



=====
Heidi-aerc#M20935  /\_/\~    http://www.synjinarts.com
                ~~/~~  \\~~~~   (Wildlife/Western & Equine
                 /   O> ) \~~~~~    Art)
                /    __/   \~~~~~~
               (_@_/  |     \~~~~
                      |      \~~~~~~
                      |       \~~~~

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