We've hit a brick wall!

I'm now starting to understand why I stay away from politics! I contacted Riverside Animal Control about the "Avenue B" horses. I got some very disturbing information! The owner of these horses has been under investigation for 2 years! 2 YEARS!!!! And he still has horses? How can this be I asked the Animal Control Officer! Because he can produce vet bills & hay bills that he is providing care, that is satisfactory to Animal Control...case closed! I ask, how can he be providing adequate care and these horses still are in this condition? They don't know but he continues to satisfy the pending citation is all that Animal Control can come back with. Amazing that the laws surrounding animal right is to protect the ones that do them the most harm! The Animal Control officer told me the owner is wealthy and is well known within the community! That makes me more infuriated! He doesn't want help and is not willing to let them go.

I had planned to feed & water them this morning with a gal who just started a horse rescue organization. I was in e-mail contact with an officer at Animal Control to let her know of our intentions to do so and that we had immediate homes for some of them. I also asked for their intervention on our behalf to make an offer of help to the owner. The e-mail I received back said they did not recommend I take the horses as that is stealing! WHAT??????? How was my e-mail misconstrued from an offer to help & feed to stealing?! 2 minutes later my phone was ringing from Riverside Animal Control! This is when I learned the history of their dealings with the owner. The Animal Control officer I talked to treated me like I was the criminal. My good attempts were being treated as if I were the one doing something bad! She warned me that I could be slapped with a Civil lawsuit if the owner felt I was harassing him by checking in on the horses. Maybe she was trying to protect me, I don't know, but my impression from the tone of her voice was more like "back off"!

So we are going to re-group, monitor the horses from a distance, and decided where to go from here!

Stay tuned!

Here we go again!!!

I don't know what it is with horses that I'm such a sucker for! I can't turn my cheek and pretend I didn't see these photos! The fire has been re-lit! A client of my husbands just started a horse rescue organization so she is rallying the troops to see what can be for this group of horses & ponies. Here is the e-mail I got from her and pics! It's tragic, my heart is sick...again!

Hi everyone,

Well, Venice and I went on a safari this morning, and these are the pictures we took. I have reported this situation to Riverside Co. Animal Control, along with sending these pictures to them as well. Yes, that is a zebra that you see! Certainly not been missing any of his meals lately, but most, if not all of these guys had signs of malnutrition, especially the palomino, as well as the mother and her baby. We saw no evidence of any water available to these animals, or any food, and it was 9:30 in the morning, so if there had been hay given, we would have seen the remains of food at least. Some of the horses were eating whatever was on the ground, dirt or droppings. Lots of nasty noses and draining eyes. Some of them had open sores. The pipe corrals are in disrepair, and there is no shelter from the sun, etc. The small foal is at risk of getting out of the corral or of having dogs/coyotes come in. I fully intend to follow up on this situation. The horses are located across from a house located at 18093 Avenue B; the nearest cross street is Alder St. Not far from Liston Stables. I’ve already sent the photos to Heather, but wanted everyone to have them. Call me or email if you have any other suggestions on how to proceed. I know that Kim rescued 2 horses last summer and had dealings with the Riverside Co. Animal Control folks (Thanks for your help Kim!)

Talk to you soon,

Nancy

Sandy has a new home!

Last Sunday (3/1/09), Chris & I took Sandy to his new home at Hanaeleh in Trabuco Canyon. Talk about a bittersweet day and an amazing journey I had with Sandy!

He loaded in the trailer with no problem and traveled like a champ. He had to cross a stream to get up to his new home. After a little coaxing he crossed the water beautfiully! He let out a big whinny when he saw his new horse friends. It was amazing to watch Elizabeth, the president & founder of Hanaeleh, handle him and calm his nerves. He responded so well to her in the first 10 minutes of him being there. He will get the care & attention he so much deserves.

I got a "first week" update from Elizabeth. In just a week she is able to pick up his front feet without him shaking in fear. Still working on his hind feet which is where he has been most terrified. He comes up to greet everyone now. He get's grain with dinner everynight. A volunteer spent an hour grooming him and getting him to relax, which he was at the end of that hour. A equine massage therapist is also starting to work with him by offering soothing herbal oils to calm his nerves. Eventually he'll get a massage....what a lucky horse!! I will be able to visit him and see his progress. I'm excited to see him be ridden!

Here are few pictures of Sandy & I at his new home!

Amazing to compare his before & after pictures!

New pictures of Sandy

It's been awhile since I have posted pictures of Sandy! He is doing great and has gained all his weight back! Now he's ready for a home!! Unfortunately he does not meet the criteria for a rope horse which is what my husband does. I may have a home lined up for him sometime this month at a rescue in Orange County. This has been a great journey which as lead me to be apart of an Australian Cattle Dog (Queensland Heeler) Rescue. I will have my first foster dog sometime this week. At some point we will be starting up our own 501c3 non-profit organization for Cattle Dog Rescue. It'll be a great journey and benefiting so many unwanted cattle dogs...which there are a ton! The gear of this blog will probably shift to Cattle Dog rescue and finding forever homes for the dogs I foster!

Back to Sandy, here are recent pictures of him!