Horse neglect - 13 seized
Aurora, CO (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Oct 31, 2004
County: Arapahoe
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Alleged:
» Elaine Harrison
» John Harrison
The owners of a dude ranch face multiple animal cruelty charges after two horses were found fending for themselves near the Flat Tops Wilderness.
John and Elaine Harrison of Budge's White River Ranch were charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty in Douglas County, where animal control officers impounded 11 additional horses at the ranch's winter pasture.
One horse, a 20-year-old palomino gelding, was emaciated, bruised, and had oozing saddle sores when a wrangler found him in the wilderness last month, said veterinarian Courtney Diehl who examined the horse. Another horse in the area was found in similar shape.
The ranch's former owner and John Harrison's father, Jack Harrison, was charged with animal cruelty in Elbert County and was sentenced to supervised probation in 2003, Garfield County Sheriff Lou Valario said.
As part of his sentence, Jack Harrison was ordered not to own, rent, lease or maintain or keep or care for horses or other large animals. He had transferred ownership of the ranch, which operates in Eagle and Garfield counties, to his son John and John's wife, Elaine.
The Harrisons could face additional charges in Garfield County, Valario said.
Who owns what horses is a bit confusing. State Veterinarian Dr. Jim Grady said the Harrisons leased, bought and borrowed horses for the summer. Of the 11 impounded in Douglas County, eight were owned by other people.
All those owners were "upset," Douglas County Animal Control Officer Joe Stafford said. If the abused horses were used by White River Ranch, the ranch operators are responsible for their condition, whether or not they cared for the animals directly, he added.
To determine a horse's health, animal control officers measure fat in six different areas on a horse's body. A horse requires a certain amount of fat to deal with various types of stress, such as being hauled long distances in a trailer, being pregnant, or just getting through the winter in good health, Stafford said.
Grady said the fat reserves on the palomino found by Gross had almost been completely depleted when the wrangler found it in the Flattops. References« CO State Animal Cruelty Map
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