Oct 07 2010
HSUS: “Neigh” on Horse Care?
It’s another day ending in the letters D-A-Y, so that means there are a gazillion new press releases from HSUS’s media department. (OK, maybe just a dozen or six.) One of them in particular caught our eye.
HSUS is complaining that three horses sustained minor injuries at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. (The games included about 1,000 horses.)
It’s never a good thing to see an animal injured. And the newsworthiness of HSUS's complaint is, we suppose, not for us to determine. But it's ironic, considering some other news we're reading about HSUS and its own abysmal record of horse care.
This particular story won’t appear in any press releases or self-congratulatory videos HSUS puts together.
We've been following the case of an Arkansas woman whose property HSUS raided last November. The animal rights group seized 25 horses belonging to Denisa Malott, and made accusations of animal neglect.
Malott was charged with 25 counts of felony animal abuse. Prosecutors have made a series of plea-agreement offers, all of which Malott has turned down flat. She's sticking to her guns and insisting that she has treated her horses well. (For background on other phony-baloney HSUS raids like this, see the stories from South Dakota and Hawaii.)
Along with several complaints that have been raised about the HSUS raid on Malott's property, what happened after the horse seizure is of particular concern. HSUS initially said in a press release that Malott's 25 horses would be going to “The Rescue Wranglers” pasture about 3 hours away.
Her animals never made it there.
The horses were later found abandoned in a field not too far from the seizure site. They didn’t have ready access to feed or clean water (HSUS apparently failed to make arrangements for this). Meanwhile, Malott wasn’t allowed to feed or water her own horses because of the charges pending against her.
Speaking to writer Chuck Jolley in March, HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle had this to say:
We were asked to temporarily house the animals. The HSUS requested $1,900 in restitution to cover the cost of care over 30 days and Coggins tests for each animal [ed: this test checks for Equine Infectious Anemia], at a rate of $24 per animal; the request reflected that we spent approximately $1.73 per horse, per day, to feed and care for the herd, well below the amount we actually spent. The restitution sought excluded labor, travel, and veterinary expenses.
Now, according to ManeConnection magazine (see pages 3-4), Malott eventually got a court order to tend to the needs of her horses—animals that were starving under HSUS's care:
HSUS claimed the 25 horses received coggins testing and feed in excess of $1,900.00.
Ms. Malott reimbursed HSUS $1,974.00 but still has not received proof of coggins testing, or feed bills.
HSUS claimed Ms. Malott's 25 head were under HSUS control; however, the Court eventually ordered Ms. Malott to tend to the health and welfare of her horses because they were starving.
Isn’t it ironic? The woman HSUS accused of mistreating her animals ended up rescuing them from starvation after HSUS had them for a month.
And HSUS is concerned about three horses injured in Kentucky? Really?!
What about the 25 horses in Arkansas? If anyone else were responsible for ignoring their care, HSUS would be screaming bloody murder and asking for criminal charges.
Pacelle, heal thyself.
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Comments
It never ceases to amaze me at the ignorance of animals and people that the AR’s have (especially HSUS as they have somehow convinced people they are experts when they are most assuredly not)....
One would think, listening to them that the rider wanted to get hurt/killed while competing!! Those people are ignorant of all things animal.
Ignorance of animals ?
By that phrase I mean that they do NOT UNDERSTAND ANIMALS and they way they think and react and WHY they do what they do and good “horse people” and “dog people”, etc. have “studied” them for years to be able to work with them and get “in sync” with animals they do not even KNOW but they “understand” and that is why the animals work with them. Make no mistake, if an animals doesn’t WANT to do something (especially animals like horses) they will not do it. While each individual animal in a breed/species is a bit different, the people who actually work with them over years and years begin to comprehend things that AR’s do not, even tho they are “thought by others who don’t understand animals” as “the EXPERTS”....and those sheep that follow the AR’s don’t really “get it” EITHER.
Keep remembering the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”
Aaaah , Alrighty then.
I’d like to know how H$U$‘s attempt at ‘saving’ these horses is any better than the worst case of animal neglect….depriving domesticated animals of available food & water, leaving them where no one can monitor and provide proper hoof or veterinary care, if needed. Like many horse owners, I regularly walk my pastures to look for weeds that may be toxic to horses. On open range, that’s not feasible either. Carrying an ‘Animal Rights’ badge does not make one exempt from the animal cruelty laws most state’s already have in place.
And here’s another thought…150 years ago….these people might have been referred to as a RUSTLER (someone that STEALS cattle or horses) and punishable by bullet or noose! The least our system could do today is put them in JAIL!
Many folks who like non human animals and have pets really don’t understand them. People who think cats wag their tails and dogs like to be hugged are often charged with their care. I like what Mary Lou said; dog people and horse people have studied them for years, maybe a lifetime, and still learn something new every day. I’m very sorry for Ms. Mallot’s experience and hope she gets much support with legal fees to try to make this better for all of us.
Once again we have an incredible example of HSUS not only NOT doing good - but actually inflicting harm.
When, when is something going to happen to these people? I guess having your own personal law firm does indeed make you teflon coated.
Here we have had Humane Watch putting out the truth since February 2010 but nothing seems to be changing.
Please keep at it HW - hopefully we will eventually reach a tipping point. Hope I’m alive to see it.
@ DC
Its amazing after my long life and having worked with many animals (from horses to dogs with chickens, ducks, turkeys, guineas, raccoons and goats, lots more) that you can still learn more daily! and you know sometimes it even takes asking another person involved in animals for tons of years, what to do about ??? something at home with one of your animals!! No one ever knows it all but we all know so much more than those lunatics in HSUS!
@ Doglover and Metalhorses,
It is so frightening sometimes trying to educate the public that breeder is not a 4 letter word and some of us have so much to lose that even tho we fight for our rights, we are terribly concerned about our furballs at home because we know how the wackos LIE, CHEAT and STEAL.
Yes, they should be jailed for horse theft!
wow…first of all the sport horse has to be able to work or they get very depressed. i used to ride jumpers and these horses love what they do. all athletes suffer injuries from time to time. these are fit horses and recover quickly. for them to remove trail horses from someone and leave them in a pasture and think they don’t have to feed them or take care of them because they have some grass prove ignorance. they no nothing about horses. they shouldn’t be involved at all with horse safety. this is a very sad story indeed. this poor lady. horses become your friends if you know anything about them.
Carrie Underwood are you reading all this? Perhaps you should…......
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BRAVO!!!!! I have a small horse rescue here in Wisconsin and its about time someone got on those wannabe rescuers and told it like it is!!
This story has to be publicized A LOT more!!!
HSUS is no rescue. We the little people out here who really care ,really are!!!! Thank you for this story!!! Please get it out there more as I will do so also!!!