Friday, August 7, 2009

Horses In Need Of Help!!!!!

Forwarded Message ----

If anyone can help, please email Diana ASAP with the number of horses you can house, thanks. Her email is voiceforhorses@wmconnect.com
Hopefully more of these horses can be saved!
I am forced to get involved in a horrible situation in Galatin TN involving 186 horses and 30 mules. There is a rescue that has spoken for all the mules, so we are looking at a desperate situation with horses. HSUS says if we ask for their help, they will euthanize the horses, and they will euth any that we can't get out of there.
HSUS is willing to take care of prosecuting the owner, but seems to think saving this many horses is not possible. A dog rescuer named Maureen, who knows nothing about horses (her rescue took 70 dogs from the place) has contacted me for help, and she has bravely determined that the horses won't die. She had no idea from there what to do next, but her dog rescue volunteers have found trailers and drivers to deliver horses, and have recruited horsie friends to care for the horses that can't travel. Vets are currently getting Coggins Tests on every horse, and are worming every horse. Unfortunately, the ones that would be best to bring here (because of my vet abilities) can't make the trip for a while. The rescues in TN all together have arranged to save 40 horses, leaving 146. Can you help me save them? I think if we all network like we did last year, we can do this! The horses are all handle-able and sweet.

There are Quarter Horses and TN Walkers. There are many mares in foal. Maureen thinks maybe 20 mares in foal, but she is trying to sort how many of what as we speak. She thinks there are some ponies as well. Here is my question for all of you: The trip to your facilities will be too much for most of the horses. I have 44 horses at Horse-Angels currently, and we struggle as always with grain, hay, farrier, bedding, and medication costs. We have lots of land, but these horses need shelter and many sound like they need a stall in my barn. I can put most of my recovered and healthy horses outside if I can afford more sheds for our pastures so that stalls can go to the neediest guys, and I can put the stronger arrivals in my paddocks and isolation area. If I can get 30-40 here to get stronger for a couple weeks, can any of your rescues (or others you may know of that are good quality) commit to taking some? Can you each give me a number that you could house, and I will get those, plus what I can handle, transported here? I will get them strong enough to travel (I will keep the weakest ones here and sort stronger ones for your rescues), and hopefully within 2 weeks , they can be picked up to head north. I don't know if the volunteer transporters that are currently hauling from TN will still be available to help by the time they can travel, so you would have to find transport. My goal is to get as many out as we can through our networking. That would be great if we could save them all. Realistically, I'm thinking maybe we can get 40 out. Can you help do you think? They want a number by Monday so they can start getting them out before HSUS steps in and destroys them. Oh yes- there are some elk as well if anyone is interested. Elk can have tuberculosis, so you would want them tested before bringing them home! Thanks so much! I wanted to work with all of you again, but not with quite this manyJ

Sue
Diana Murphy
Founder/President
Voice For Horses Rescue Network
PO Box 566
Toledo , Ohio 43697
(419) 247-0025
www.voiceforhorses.org

4 comments:

Von Walsingham said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Von Walsingham said...

Please remove this story from your blog. I am attaching below the email sent to this lady (Diane Murphy) from Leighann at HSUS who has been involved with this case for awhile:

Good morning Ms. Murphy.

I am the TN director for HSUS. I have tried to call you several times this morning but haven't been able to get through on your line. Unfortunately, you have been grossly misinformed about this situation. I have been involved with this case providing assistance to the horses and dogs. At no time did I or anyone at HSUS recommend or make a statement regarding euthanasia.

Most of the information you have is inaccurate, from the numbers of animals on the property to the status. We were allowed to take pictures of the dogs and given permission by the owner to place them with rescues. Until last night, only 1 dog in distress had been removed from the property. That dog remains in the care of a veterinarian. I can assure you that no one has taken 70 dogs since there weren't that many
on the property. Since the beginning, HSUS has been coordinating donations of hay and dog food and coordinated the removal of many horses to rescue this week. We will continue to operate in this manner as long as the owner is cooperative.
The remaining horses have not been relinquished by the owner.

Although I cannot comment on the status of the case, I can tell you that local law enforcement and the District Attorney's office have been remarkably responsive. The owner allowed Volunteer Equine to take 23 horses and another local rescuer is working with him to remove a few horses at a time, taking those in the worst condition first. HSUS is assisting by coordinating placement with equine rescue groups. Your effort to bring together resources is admirable and I'm sure we can work together to get these animals to a place where they can receive the best care. In the meantime, I would very much appreciate an official retraction of your statements on any list serves where they were posted. You are welcome to contact me at any time to discuss this further.


*** For additional information, please use the below contact:

Nina L. Margetson
Executive Director
Horse Haven of Tennessee, Inc.
(865) 609-4030
www.horsehaven.net

Von Walsingham said...

And from "Voice for Horses" (automatic e-mail reply)

Hi Everyone,

I want to thank you for your offer to help the horses in need in Tennessee. At this time The Local Law enforcement and several veterinarians are working daily to help the horses with any needs they may need. HSUS has joined into help but the only capacity they have in this situation is providing feed for the animals & horses, ant that every horse is coggins tested and arranging transport for them. They AT NO TIME stated they would euthanize all the horses, this is ONLY the decision of the Investigators and veterinarians who are handling the animals.

At this time due to the Cruelty Law in Tennessee, it may take weeks before any horses will if any be ready to be placed. At that time HSUS will contact the rescues they are working with to place the horses with them and then the horses can be placed from the rescues into new homes

The critical horses have been removed to local rescues so they would have a better chance at recovery and less travel and stress.

We do not know if we will be needed but HSUS will contact us when the time comes, there are many other rescues who are assisting as well.

We want to also thank everyone who has extended their hand to help a horse in need.

Diana Murphy
Founder/President

Brenda Lee said...

Diana, I'm relatively new to this, topic of rescues etc. I have however, been in horses professionaly for over 30 yrs.

Since, I have taken an interest and have become involved, I have heard terrible things about you and your rescue program. First are they true, and second how can you do what you do? Have they indicted you yet?, or is that still pending? I'm curious, I really am? Why do you do what you do? Scam people out of money, by exploiting the fact that they care? The horses, take money for them, and not even provide them with a proper home, that takes care of their basic needs? How can you do that? You look like you have eaten well? So, why would denial another living breathing, entity the very thing, that you yourself would scam for? I really want to know, what makes a person so cold and indifferent to other beings needs..? How did you get this way?