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Dee

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Aug 18, 2003
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Location
Alberta, Canada
OK I was on my way out to see my boy who lives about 20 min. for me. He was on his way home from a job site and called me about a house he saw that had what he said, “looks like way to many horses that didn’t look like they were being cared for.â€

I met up with him at his house and he wanted to call animal control, but since he really isn’t a horse person what so ever we decided to take a drive by so I could see for myself. I was absolutely appalled at what I saw!

The house is located on a corner. When we first pulled up I could see about 30 large horses on about maybe 2 acres of land. The land is filled with buckets turned over everywhere, tractors and basically garbage! As we turned the corner I was even more appalled! They’re about 20 minis, and I saw 2 miniature donkey and one baby mini donkey scarttered through out the property with larger horses again. 2 of the larger horses are being kept in homemade pens that are even smaller then the stalls I have for my minis! There are little homemade pens scattered though out the property where minis are being kept. The pens are FILLED with mud, feces, garbage and old farm equipment. The one thing that broke my heart is there is one mini that is tied in the middle of all this crap to a post with only a water bucket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It did look like the larger horses had food, but as for the minis it was hard to see through all what they call “Fencing†and garbage if there was food.

It was sickening!!!! I took photos but my camera’s battery died before I got a chance to take photos of the minis. I am going back out tomorrow.

While taking photos from the road we saw a neighbor who was watching us from his yard. We went to talk to him and he told us that they complain all the time. He also said that the woman who lives there in the barn with her 4 kids (yes, they live in the barn) got in trouble before and the courts said that she is no longer allowed to own any livestock, but that all the animals are in her boyfriends name.

I am called the SPCA tomorrow; I might even go down there and actually demand that something needs to be done.

If anyone has any ideas to help me out please tell me! I also am going to contact a horse rescue in my area and see what can be done.

Dee

P.S. This is located in Alberta, Canada
 
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Oh how sad! Yes, make those calls, and I would look up the laws in Alberta and see exactly what they state. The thing is that those animals may be in her boyfreind's name, but there may be loop holes that would state that she is not to have any in her care.

Also, call child welfare services (I don't know what it is called in Alberta) on her and see if you can get them to check on the living conditions of the children. Those kids should not be living in a barn unless the barn has full living quarters! (You didn't mention if the barn had full living quarters. If it does, one may not be able to do anything about it.) If child welfare comes in and finds a huge mess, they may force the issue of animal removal due to the unhealthy conditions that the children are put in because of the unhealthy amounts of animal dung everywhere.

And if you can't get any help this way, then try the media, especially if the neighbors that are concerned are willing to help with a comunity type of story!
 
Thanks for the help. I called the Alberta SPCA. They deal with all livestock in Alberta. They are going to call me with all that happens. Until now I guess all I can do is wait.

I don't know about the barn except that from the outside it look in pretty bad shape. I am going back out today to get some photos, to see if that poor little mini is still ties up
no.gif
and take a better look at the condition of the horses.

I will be doing all that I can.

Thanks

Dee
 
Nila made an excellent point.....children living in a barn????

Another thing....how many animals per acre are allowed in that area, no matter WHO owns them???

Oh, and with all the garbage and feces and manure, that HAS to be some sort of health issue that could be addressed -- if the animal control people are lazy about the other issues.

Good luck with this.....please keep us informed because we care!

MA
 
I don't know what departments there are in Alberta but when I was working with the SPCA here, if we saw a situation like this, we were required by law to contact the health department. This is not only unhealthy for the animals and the children that live there but also for the neighbors.

Mary
 
i think probably the quickest way to get everyone out of the situation (children and animals) is to call childrens services and have them go out. I feel so bad for the kids and the animals!!! keep us posted
 

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