Horse, goat neglect Spring Hill, FL (US) Incident Date: Wednesday, Aug 17, 2005 County: Hernando Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: Jacob Thomas

Case ID: 5392 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: horse, goat View more cases in FL (US) Login to Watch this Case

Jacob Thomas, a southeastern Hernando County horse rancher, refutes several allegations about his farm following an animal neglect investigation. "First, those are sheep carcasses - not goats. Second, the horses: Yes, a few of them are thin, but for good reason. Third," Thomas contended, he "does not neglect animals. He loves them and is trying to save them."

"A lot of stuff was falsified" in authorities' reports, Thomas claimed after a Hernando County Animal Services officer and Hernando County sheriff's deputies arrived at the 2095 Rackley Road farm earlier this week.

"I'm not getting rich in this," he said. "I'm doing the horses a favor. I save a lot of horses."

According to the report, on Aug 17, county Animal Services Officer Terri Blake and the deputies discovered a large burn pile on the property, and at the bottom of the pile was a partially-burned goat carcass. An empty feed bag lay on top of the pile and inside was a dead baby goat, the report stated.

Thomas said the animals in the burn pile were sheep, and the animal in the feed bag was a lamb that he had been trying to save. Only one horse is seriously thin, Thomas said, and it is 22, arthritic and has founder, a foot inflammation. Blake, the animal services officer, could not be reached for comment.

Investigators observed several malnourished horses with clearly visible ribs and hip bones, the report stated. Thomas said he purchased the horses in that malnourished condition less than three weeks ago in Tennessee.

"It takes a good four months to get a horse's weight up," he said. "I buy animals at auction, and some I buy from people who can't take care of them no more. I've bought horses off the meat wagon, where they would have gone for soap."

Thomas said he has sold horses to many happy customers, and provided names and phone numbers for a few of them. Duane Shontere of Spring Hill said he was happy with the four horses he has purchased from Thomas.

"I can't say a bad word about him," Shontere said. "A horse I got from him was skinny; it was a beautiful horse; it was just skinny. I've had him out here for three weeks and he's already put on quite a bit of weight."

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References

	St. Petersburg Times - Aug 20, 2005
	St. Petersburg Times - Aug 19, 2005

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