Nebraska: 6 horses seized (Omaha, Douglas County)
The two horses they show out of the six seized are malnourished. But think before you answer this: if the other four were found to be in near ideal body condition, should they be seized as well? Why or why not?
Starving horses rescued [link]
Molli Graham, action3news.comOMAHA — A sad case of animal neglect. When we found out about the Nebraska Humane Society stepping-in to save a bunch of horses, we went digging for answers.
Six horses, critically in need of care, are taken from a property near 238th and Pacific street. The owners wouldn’t answer the door tonight, but the images are enough to tell the story.
Horses so sick you can actually see their ribs and their hip bones stick out through their skin. “They are probably some of the thinnest horses we’ve taking in,” says Kristie Biodrowski, animal control officer.
We’re talking 2-300 hundred pounds underweight. It’s the worst case of malnourished horses Biodrowski has seen. She helped seize them from a ranch out in western Douglas County. They may have gotten there just in time with the cold weather setting in. “Just felt really bad for the horses especially in the winter. “It’s so hard for these guys, when they’re thin they can’t maintain they’re body heat very well, just felt really bad for them.”
Now in the hands of medical workers on an Omaha foster farm, the horses are getting the care they need and that includes plenty of food to get their weight back to where it should be.
The owners, Sara goolsby and Jeff Schaffer surrendered the horses today, this after several warnings to the couple. The two were slapped with animal cruelty charges.
Note to media: I failed to see any compound fractures, so there were not actually bones sticking out through skin as you reported. Not arguing that these horses are not emaciated, just that you don’t have to paint an unrealistic picture with misleading words.
It is unfortunate that people can’t afford to feed their animals, can’t afford to have them euthanized and can’t take them to auction without worrying that it will result in a long trip to Mexico or Canada.
Comments?
Our horse issues are more realistic than many know. Due to the ecomony, some that take their horses to auction end up paying the auction house as they bid was not enough to cover the commission. Some don’t get a bid at tall so the Owner must retrieve. Due to uncontrollable situations of some the worst happens. Many if not most of the Humane Societies are not equiped to handle horses so they post and provide information of several rescues thru-out the State. The rescues operate completely by donations - they are overburdoned beyond belief and are not financially suppoted by the Goverment or the Humane Societies So many must also turn horses away as they are barely surviving to maintain what they have.. If you all want to keep every horse alive then everyone must chip in to provide the support and livelihood you all want for these animals. Note: The US had the best regulated horse slaughter facilities. You closed them and now whine that they are heading to Mexico and Canada with unhumane conditions. Truly, which is the worse fate, starving in a pasture or completing a cirle of life. At least if we kept the slaughter houses we could have fed the zoos if human consumption was such the issue. There must be compromise as its not getting better but only worse.