Friday, May 4, 2012

To Whom It May Concern

To Whom It May Concern ~

I believe that my horse has suffered neglect and abuse while in the care of -let's call them, John and Susie L. of Eagle, Idaho.

I brought my Arabian Mare, Chantell (age 23), to board at their facility while still living in Idaho. Unfortunately, I have since had to move out of state for work and due to financial circumstances have not yet been able to move my horse. So, believing that she was in good hands, I continued to board her with John and Susie L.

A month ago I received a phone call informing me that she had lost a considerable amount of weight over the winter. The weight loss itself was not unusual, it's something we've been dealing with for a few years over the winters due to her age. However, I was told that this time they were concerned for her well being and that given that they are not set up to grain it would be necessary for me to move her by May 1st. Unable to really judge her condition based on what I had been told, I then asked if they felt that she would be able to make the trip across country to Florida (where I now reside) if I were able to arrange for that to happen. At this point they offered to grain her twice a day and assured me that if they did that, she would be fine to travel by end of the month. Feeling reassured by this, I declined their offer to grain due to financial reasons and the belief that she would now be back out to pasture, which in the past has always been sufficient in regaining the weight. I also turned my focus to finding a better suited facility for her.

On May 1st, 2012 I arranged for my mare to be picked up. What I heard from the people who went to get her was not only shocking but deeply disturbing. When they arrived to get her, she was not out in the pasture. She was alone in a small dark stall, standing knee deep in manure. Furthermore, she had withered away to nothing more than skin and bones. Not wanting to waste anymore time, she was immediately loaded into the trailer and taken from the premises. Afraid for her safety, they drove slowly taking only back roads to get from one town to the next.

Once unloaded, she was examined more closely and further neglect was detected in spots of rain rot on both of her flanks, most likely from a dirty wet blanket that apparently had not been touched all winter. In addition to that, her hooves appeared to not have been trimmed in quite some time, in spite of the fact that in addition to paying for the basic care I thought they were providing, I was also paying for a farrier service.

I have struggled with this all week. Not knowing whether or not to report this, not sure how I could prove it or even if it would make a difference. In the end, I really have no choice but to speak out about this. To you, to friends and family, to anyone who will listen. Chantell suffered in silence. In darkness. Starving and alone...We won't be silent anymore.