39 horses seized from farm
Myers Flat, CA (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008
County: Humboldt

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Elsie Smith

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Officials seized 39 horses from a small farm in Miranda Tuesday in what was described as the largest horse rescue operation in recent memory.

"I've seen worse horses, but I don't know that I've seen living conditions for horses as bad," said Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Phil Buihner. "The main thing we've had is cats, dogs and exotic animals -- this is the largest seizure I've ever known."

Lt. Steve Knight concurred. "I don't think the county ever seized that many, to my knowledge."

Humboldt County Sheriff's livestock deputies and animal control officers responded to the residence on the 1900 block of Elk Creek Road at 8 a.m. Tuesday in response to a report of neglected horses.

The horses included studs, mares and colts, and many were reportedly standing knee-deep in manure, had lice, matted coats, deformed hooves and signs of infection on their hooves. They also were said to be malnourished.

Veterinarians were called and a search warrant was obtained. The veterinarians concurred with the officers' assessment that the horses were "in serious distress from neglect of care," and all were seized.

The horses were taken to the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in Ferndale, the sheriff's farm and the Fortuna Rodeo Grounds.

The couple that owns the horses was home at the time officers arrived, but was not arrested. A felony criminal complaint of animal cruelty is being forwarded to the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office for their evaluation, officials said. The owners' names haven't been released to the public.

"I don't think it's willful neglect, but there were things they should have been doing that weren't done," Buihner said. "Some of these horses are in bad shape."

Officers described the scene as a "hoarding situation," and after speaking with the owners "it sounds like they didn't realize the seriousness of the situation," said Sheriff's Deputy Todd Fulton.

The animals' ages range from less than two weeks old to more 20 years, he said.

All have lice, worms, are malnourished and many need their hooves removed, officials said. There are questions as to whether two horses will survive, Buihner said, but a veterinarian will visit them and others Friday to recommend treatment regimens.

Law enforcement visited the residence 10 years ago under similar circumstances, Knight said, and got the number of horses down to about seven. Dogs were at the residence Tuesday, he said, but were in good health, according to animal control officers.

The owners have a right to make a claim on the animals, and they've showed interest in having them returned, Buihner said.

However, if a determination is made through the court system to turn the animals over to the county, they'll likely be adopted through the local nonprofit organization Heart of the Redwoods Horse Rescue, said Lt. Steve Knight.

"It will be up to the courts to determine what happens with these horses," he said.

A criminal case is being put together and will be forwarded to the District Attorney's Office late this week or early next week, Buihner said.

Donations from individuals and businesses were coming into the horse rescue organization Wednesday, co-founder Sara Isaacson said. "That's going to be a long-term thing for the horses, their hooves are so bad," she said.

The worst-off horses seemed to be at the Fortuna Rodeo Grounds, where most were covered in clumps of dirt that hung to their hair.

"They were in a pen -- I can't even describe how small it was," Buihner said. He estimated nine horses were in an area about 75 feet by 80 feet.

Knight said it has been a busy few weeks at the Animal Shelter, with the remaining exotic reptiles from a previous rescue being adopted out last week. "We're just happy to get the reptiles new homes. Now we've got another challenge -- a little bigger challenge this time."

Heart of the Redwoods Horse Rescue has set up an account for public donations at Umpqua Bank and Coast Central Credit Union, or checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 226, Cutten, CA 95534.

To contact Heart of the Redwoods Horse Rescue, call 496-4663 or visit www.redwoodrescue.org.

Case Updates

References

• « CA State Animal Cruelty Map

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