What would you do if you knew they weren't being cared for?

[MiniCooper]

I just moved into my neighborhood 4 months ago and have been watching this get worse. I have a neighbor with big horses that are getting severely underweight. The horses got thru their fence today and were on my property eating. I just let them eat....there are 5 of them. They are being kept on about an acre and little/no feed. I would probably rate them a 1, 2, 2, 3 & 3 on the Henneke body score. The property owner has about 10 acres, but keeps them confined to this little area.

I called animal control and no one answered. I called the humane society and haven't gotten a call back.

I took pictures of them all and looked them over. They all look severely wormy and malnourished. They all have rainrot, terrible feet and scars and fresh cuts from barbed wire. The youngest filly still had a rope halter on with the lead still attached to it dragging around her.

The owners finally realized her horses were out and found them at my place. She came over to collect them and was going on about how she couldn't believe they got out and that her horses never did this until she took in her friends horses....she was quick to say that she couldn't get a hold of her hay guy...she told me her husband was getting transfered to Houston. I asked what she was doing with the horses if her was getting transfered so far away. Of course, her horses were for sale for $500-700 a piece.

I have the property and the means to give her horses the care they need. I don't know how I would approach her about giving her some help with them. Is it silly to want to help her with theses animals?

I don't know if she really just doesn't realize how bad they are, I don't think she is meaning to be cruel to them.

I have a call in with animal control and the humane society already.....but I am willing to help her. And I want to...I think she does care about them, she just seems over her head.

Would any of you try to help someone in a case like this, or would you just call and let the rescue groups and such take care of it?

How would you approach the situation if you wanted to help someone like this?

We live in the same neighborhood and I can see her house from my front door.

 

[Katiean]

This gets to be a slippery slope. She may come up with a health issue they have and are being treated for that she didn't tell you about. It may just be an excuse. However, if when animal controll comes out and she has hay on the property, they can't say she is not feeding them. This sucks because it is the same with kids. Maybe get to kinow her and then see if she would like your help. If you turn her in there will be no way she will even talk to you. Try to be her friend first. Then if that doesn't work then turn her in.

 

[Connie P]

Yes, befriend her first. See if she is open to help. How wonderful of you to want to help her. If she cannot get ahold of her hay guy then maybe you could offer to give the horses some of your hay??? If she isn't receptive to your wanting to help then you may want to try the ASPCA. Bless your heart for wanting to step in and help the horses. It is always nice to approach in a friendly way first. You get farther with sugar than you do with vinegar..............JMO

 

[MiniCooper]

I know she doesn't have any hay on the property. She lives in a mobile home and there are no outbuildings or any where else to store it there. The excuse of not being able to get a hold of her hay guy is very unbelieveable. There are hay rounds EVERYWHERE down here, most farms are getting at least 4 cuttings here, so there is actually an overstock.

I can up with an idea last night...

I thought about talking to her about bringing her horses over and keeping them on my property for a while. I want to have a round brought out, but I only have one big horse. I would tell her she would be doing me a favor by her horses helping my gelding eat the round quicker, so I didn't have to worry about it getting moldy before he finishes it. I would tell her that my minis can't have access to the hay all the time.

Then if they are here...I can slip them some wormer and have the guys from the horseshoeing school stop out and take care of their feet.

Does this sound like a way that might work??

Thanks for your input....

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I would start by asking her why they are confined to such a tiny area. If they have a health issue that would come up then.

I would continue with the Animal Control route, though, as some people just want to seem nice, I am afraid.

I would not offer to keep them for her and I would certainly not worm them without discussing it with her....who pays for the Vet if one colic's as they have never been wormed before??

Also, I have to say, much as I commend you attitude, there are many, many people hurt bad by the credit crunch and having nowhere to put their horses, that would shake your hand off at being offered a chance like this, and pay everything they possibly could towards the upkeep of their animals and bless you for caring.

If you actually have room for five charity cases, I am certain Chances rescue can get you some!!!!

This person, I am afraid, has the room and the acreage to look after her horses properly, she just lacks the desire!

 

[Marty]

I've had the same thing right here and have been very careful because I feared reprisal. People would proudly show off to me their rack of bones and not see a thing wrong with it. They simply do not see it.

I've learned to tread softly as not to ailienate anyone which leaves the lines of communcation open. I have done the friendly approach and made excuses to go over there with brownies or a banana bread in hopes of engaging them in a good chat about horse care. Somedays it seemed to have worked and other days it didn't make a bit of difference. You can try baking some browinies and friending this lady. Bring them over with some phone numbers of where she can buy a round bale and say something like "we can call right now" or offer to go get it for her. You might find out that she has no money to purchase any hay at all or she is sick or she may not have any help. You can ask her about why they are in a small area, maybe she doesn't own the rest of the land you see around her. I would keep working with her and give her a decent chance to improve things before you call out the law. Once you call out the law on her, any lines of communication you have established between you two will have been broken.

Last but not least if you do bring these animals to your property you will be exposing your own to them so be very careful about what they might bring onto your place.

Now I am going to add this: Winter is on the way and these horses need their bones covered. If after you feel you have done everything in the world to help this woman help her own animals on her dime, and you see it is falling on deaf ears, then that is when I would go whole hog and get her sorry butt reported.

You have a wonderful heart.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I'm with Rabbitsfizz on not giving them any drugs, wormers or otherwise without her express permission and knowledge - you could get yourself in BIG trouble. I think you are WONDERFUL for so obviously wanting to help without caring about the expense to yourself. Perhaps if she can't "get her hay guy" you could anonymously have a load of hay delivered to her. Wait a day or two and then happen to drop in as a neighbour, mention you are glad to see she got hold of her hay guy, and have a chat with her about winter coming and how you can save a lot of money in feed if you keep your horses properly wormed, where you get your wormer at the best price, etc. If you approach it as just a conversation about your horsekeeping practices rather than outright accusing her of improper care you may be able to pass along information that she was not aware of without creating hard feelings that may just get you the boot off her farm. If these horse's body conditions are as bad/low as you say you don't have a lot of time to waste though. If you don't get the opinion that she will immediately do something to help them you are going to have to act quickly to get the authorities involved. Take photos and go directly to them rather than calling.

Marty got that right - you ARE WONDERFUL!!!

 

[minih]

Yes, I would help and become her friend. I have been in the situation you are and everything worked out great.

I have a neighbor that had a 1/2 arabian X? cross gelding, and he was beautiful but I went to her house one day to help her worm him (she knew she had to worm) and I saw his poor back and rump area.

I asked her if he had been sick, no but she could not get weight on him even tho she had been feeding him and had the vet out to see what anything was wrong, there wasn't. She had been feeding him the cheapest horse feed possible.

They were leaving for a week to go to her parents for Christmas and I asked if I could take care of him for that week and get him started on a feeding program for her. Sure she said, so I bought some Omalene senior, alfalfa cubes, and beet pulp and started feeding him small amounts 3 times a day, it was winter and I soaked it all together in warm water for him. She could not believe I went to her house 3 times a day thru the Christmas holidays. I think that help to sink in for her how bad he really looked. And it didn't hurt every time he saw my truck pull up to their house he came running to the fence with his tail up, like I said he was beautiful. Well worth the feed bill for me just to watch him come running to me. She kept up my feeding schedule and she could not believe just in one month the change in him and kept to the same schedule with him until she sold him a year and 1/2 later. He was a little too much horse for her and she wanted a dead broke gelding to ride. I hated to see him go, but she did ask me what to feed her new horse when she found him.

We are still very good neighbors. If you can help an animal and make a friend, what else can you ask for?

 

[sfmini]

If you are not having luck with animal control responding, call the sheriff or police and they could step in and get the right people involved.

I agree with the others, liability would be an issue if you took those horses and fed them and had trouble. One big alarm is that some of the horses belong to someone else. Best to go through legal channels.

If you still don't get any of the authorities involved, call the local paper and tv. They LOVE to get involved in this kind of stuff, especially with the bad press on the people you have tried to contact.

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

I would definitely try to become her friend, that can go along way with helping, then after a little bit start talking about general horse care and feeding. I think it is great of you wanting to step in and help but I sure wouldnt worm or do anything with her horses without her written consent, it could become a legal problem down the road for you if something should happen to one of her horses. Could you possible offer to buy a few for alot less then what she is asking, sometimes ever just getting a few out of a bad situation can be a big help. We had a situation about 20 miles from my home, with minis..the wife passed away and the husband didnt know or care about anything and actually wanted nothing to do with the minis, including feed them most of the time. lucky for me..I had a friend who lived next door able to keep a eye on things for awhile. He wouldnt turn them over to rescue but was willing to sell to a "meatman" (but didnt because the price was too low) so I know he wanted $$ for them. Finally I couldn't stand it anymore and went and offered him a cash price for all10 of the minis. I came home with all 10. I am trying to cut back, on my own herd.. because of health reasons, but it sure felt good to be able to help these little ones out of a horrible situation. I sure didnt need 10 extra over winter but I know in my heart these little ones appreciate me every time they seen hay coming there way, and that alone is a good feling, just knowing you helped make a differance in there lives. I am so sure you will feel the same in any way you can possible help these horses and her owner.