Starved to skeletal conditions, a mahogany mare welcomed the assistance the Cumberland County SPCA offered Friday morning.
She crunched the carrot, offered as an icebreaker. Then she munched a bucket of sweet meal. But she made it perfectly clear she wasn't going anywhere without her foal. That was fine with the cruelty investigators who removed them both from the property.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, armed with a court order, seized a total of seven horses from a ranch at 3042 Mays Landing Road.
The horses' owner, Robert Denault, was issued 32 animal-cruelty violations. The charges focused on his alleged failure to provide shelter, veterinary care and food for the animals.
He also was charged with allowing unsanitary conditions and confining horses without food in poorly maintained shelters.
Denault, who said he has 60 years of horse experience, denied the animals were in poor shape. He explained he was breeding the horses to become show horses.
Denault plans to attend a municipal court hearing next week to try to regain custody of the horses.
The SPCA, along with city Animal Control Officer Diane Starn, rounded up the distressed animals. They were assisted by a Goshen-based horse rescue organization, Second Chance Ranch, and a Bridgeton couple who agreed to foster the mahogany mare and her foal.
Bev Greco of the SPCA explained her agency's Sherman Avenue shelter could not house the horses. She relied on the support of rescue missions and local volunteers in order to pull the animals from the property.
Those contacted came as soon as they got Greco's call.
"Easy, Momma," the new foster parent cooed to comfort the nursing mare. She was led from the stall she shared with the teetering offspring.
Denault said the mare didn't have a name.
But that's about to change.
The foster parents are expecting their grandchildren to visit this weekend, and the youngsters should be full of ideas. One suggestion might be "Strongwill."
Rescuers had problems loading the mother horse into the horse trailer. After a brief taste of freedom, she was reluctant to re-enter a confined space.
For more than an hour, they gently pushed, pulled and prodded.
In the end, it was her maternal instincts that got the better of her as she followed her foal on the trailer.
Starn and the SPCA also confiscated five dogs from the property. One Lab-chow mix, tied near a trash pile, was so thirsty he was foaming at the mouth. Flies blanketed his coat.
He drank heartily from water that Starn offered. When her supply ran out, he licked the wet dirt.
Starn did find several half-filled bottles of water near the dog.
"I guess he didn't know he had to open it," she said, sarcastically.
Charges are pending against Chris O'Donnell, also of the Mays Landing Road address, for the condition of the dogs. Case Updates| Posted on Apr 1, 2004 - 10:24AM | Robert Denault in Vineland, NJ has been convicted of one of the charges against him (there were only 8 charges). He plead guilty to failing to provide necessary vet care for the 7 horses. SPCA got custody of them, and are keeping an eye on the 4 remaining on the property, who are doing fine. He was ordered to pay restitution for the care of the horses and pay a fine.
Chris O'Donnell - charges were held for 180 days, and were dismissed by the prosecutor since she kept up the animals in her care for that 180 days. Agents are keeping an eye on the animals. |
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