Update:
Hello everyone --- Court today! It was a very long and exhausting day for everyone involved, and I first need to thank all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to come to the Milford District Courthouse to offer your support and brainstorming skills. There were 12-15 of us there, including our healthy mini , for varying parts of the day, some of us starting at 8:00am and finishing at 4:00 pm. Boston Channel 7 interviewed several of us, and Danielle Williamson who did the original story in the Milford paper was there to follow up. I have been contacted by the Boston Globe and Worcester Telegram as well. I also understand that there was a piece on Boston Channel 4 earlier this evening.
We were fortunate to have stumbled onto a very wise, compassionate judge, a hard working (and very patient!) DA, and even a reasonable (and very frustrated with his client!) defense attorney. The case went before the judge in the morning and DA Shea presented the evidence and pictures we had given him, which were very compelling. I also made sure he had pictures of fat, shiny, and healthy minis. The judge said that he concurred the minis should be removed, but wanted us to come up with a more specific plan of how this was to be accomplished. We went to work on this, and then were invited to view the property and remaining horses by the defendant. !! It was very grim and sad, and we realized, as we were taken on our tour, that Mr. Arnowitz really feels that his horses are in good shape and that he is caring for them properly -- this while admitting that until a month or so ago, there had not been a vet on the premises for 2 years. Nor by what we observed, a farrier either. For today, at least, and probably for this week, since he is back in court on Friday, the horses had clean water, and were literally swimming in a just delivered load of new green hay -- very hard on the systems of starving horses, but at least they had food for the benefit of us and the press corps.
There are many more deplorable details concerning lack of shelter, general filth, and the condition of the horses, and if anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to speak with you, but suffice to say, I had plenty of ammunition when we went back to court and was called on to testify. The MSPCA representative did an admirable job testifying as well. And the consensus was that the two of us were able to adequately counter Jerry's witness, a friend who is a boarding stable owner and who said things like 'minis are small, therefore they look thin', and 'in a herd situation, the stronger ones get all the food.......'(and that's ok?), and 'they should be totally fine in 60 days'. (Not even possible!)
However, the judge was concerned with property rights, and was reluctant to take a private individual's property and give it another private individual or group (us), so............we must come back on Friday with yet another plan. We already have one in the works that involves licensed officials of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and hopefully I will have good news for you on Friday.
IMPORTANT: There has been an account set up to accept the donations that are already coming in. Please remember that so far, only private funds have been used to care for the rescued minis - most of that coming from Jodie-May Rose and her family who have the original rescued horses. There are 22-28 remaining on the property and they will need your help!
Please make your checks payable to: Rescued Mini Horses
and send to: Unibank
49 Church Street
Whitinsville, MA 01588
We would also like to thank Dr.Benson's for a donation of a case of shampoo and a case of TNS Plus vitamins. Thank you!
Thank you again to all who participated in a very difficult, but productive day, and to all the rest of you for your support.
I can't wait to report that these horses are in a safe place!
Cindy