Abandoned horses are on the rise

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

Jack Noble was pretty sure what he would see when he arrived to check out reports of horses abandoned on a rural road in Oregon's Willamette Valley in September.
Noble, field operations manager for the state's Department of Agriculture, found 11 filthy, sickly and starving horses. "They were just let loose, and they were severely malnourished," he said.

Horse abandonment is on the rise across the USA, livestock and agricultural officials say. As the economy worsens and the cost of feeding and caring for horses rises, more people are abandoning their animals into the wild, where many starve and die.

No national numbers are available, but there are "definitely thousands of them out there," said Dave Duquette, an Oregon horse trainer and president of the United Horsemen's Front.

"Folks have to decide whether to feed the kids or feed the horses," said Dr. Kerry Rood, a veterinarian at Utah State University.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-12-16-horses_N.htm

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These domestic horses were found abandoned on a rural road in northern Nevada this summer.

[SoCalNative]

1. I really don't understand

Do people not know that there are organizations that will take in horses as well as other animals people can no longer care for?

Idiots.

[jmowreader]

3. They know...

They also know these organizations are rapidly becoming overburdened. Unfortunately, this is one of the drawbacks of falling in love with farm animals.

[Robbien]

2. Animal Planet has been reporting on this for over a year

Animal Control and ASPCA's all over the country having been finding that abandoned horse numbers have been increasing because of their huge upkeep costs and the tanking economy.

The regular media is just catching up on the story.

[dysfunctional press]

4. i thought it was some kind of rapture of the horses...

:shrug:

[safeinOhio]

5. They now have zero value at auction.

We closed the slaughter houses and this has caused untold cruelty. I know, it's terribly sad, but true. It happened the same time that feed prices soared.

[lonestarnot]

6. Guess I need to drag a few over here and put them in the back yard, with my tent city for the

homeless. We're going to need a bailout soon. :D

[doodadem]

7. I have my doubts

I have doubts that these two cute little Quarter Horses in the picture were actually abandoned. They look well cared for. We've had other people's horses get loose before, and then we find them munching hay in our hay barn. It takes awhile to track down who they belong to, and the owners were happy to get them back.

Nonetheless, there's always been a ton of people who had no business having horses to begin with, and those are the same people who are abandoning them now. They're the same kind of people who think nothing of dropping dogs or cats off in the middle of nowhere to become someone else's problem.

If they're not getting fed, then they're definitely not getting veterinary or farrier care. There's no excuse for abandoning an animal. None whatsoever.

[Canuckistanian]

9. Well, who raises horses without thinking of the consequences?

An irresponsible horse owner, that's who.

Deciding to take on a horse or raise a foal is a big responsibility.

You don't just turn them loose when you feel you can't take care of them.

[Jersey Ginny]

10. How about a little perspective before you point fingers at the horse owners

I've owned a horse since I was 11 years old. I now own a horse who I've owned his whole life and "Wimpy" is now 24 years old. He's got navicular (foot arthritis) and while he can walk around the pasture, he's not really rideable. I could spend 2K to cut the nerves to his front feet, but that's 2K and the surgery has problems (horses trip). So now I'm "lucky" enough to "only" pay $300 a month to keep my horse in a pasture. I can afford it with minimal sacrifice (no new cars) as there are two jobs in my household. What happens if we lose a job? I can't sell him to anyone because he's too old. There are no more "knackers," around, which I wouldn't want to do anyway. I could have him euthanized and buried and that would cost a pile of money. What would I do? I have tried to find a home for him, but there are none available in NJ/PA. If I lived in the west and was desperate, I might turn my horse loose also, fantasizing that he'd be OK. These abandoned horses are likely a product of good people in desperate times.

[Canuckistanian]

11. I don't know

I live in the country, surrounded by horse breeders and riding camps.

There ARE horse rescue farms that will take in these animals. But I don't know about the situation where you are.

Seems to me that your local government could ultimately take responsibility as ours does, but I guess that may not be the case.

[happyslug]

17. Sounds like Gene Audry who keep a ranch in Semi Valley for his horse for decades

http://www.geneautry.com/geneautry/champion/index.html

Gene Audry had Seven horses during his Career, Called Champion (or a variation of that name,see the above web site for the exact names). . The first one died while Audry was serving in the Military during WWII. Champion jr and Champion III lived till 1977 and 1990 respectfully. Audry kept the last 50 acre so his ranch for both animals (One after 1977) for them to roam, till their died of old age, then the ranch was sold to be developed like the rest of Simi Valley. He delayed (and paid taxes) on that ranch long after he could have sold it for a huge profit AND avoided a lot of real estate taxes, but he had the money from selling the rest of the land so he kept that last 50 acres for his horses. Beside Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, I do NOT like his singing but he did take care of his horses.

[Runcible Spoon]

19. two years ago, we had our old mare put down and buried in the back yard...

She colicked so bad her intestines twisted. Cost of vet call and humane euthanasia drugs: $300. Cost of backhoe: free from a kindly neighbor. I don't know what a contractor would charge but it couldn't be too much to bring a backhoe out to dig a hole and nudge a horse in.

Also, you can contact nearby teaching hospitals that will often take in horses, alive or dead, and treat them with respect and kindness to use them for teaching cadavers. Especially horses with advanced chronic conditions are useful for teaching purposes. Thing is, you need to make advanced preparations for the horse before it dies, so they can be on alert with your address and be there in time to pick the horse up. I have another aged horse, 29 years old, who was treated at Cornell for EPM in a clinical drug trial that saved his ability to walk. I have arranged with them to take him upon death or when he becomes too broken down to have a good quality of life.

I won't say that every horse abandonment can be avoided, but people REALLY need to exhaust every possible option before just tossing the horses out on their own. I'm sorry if this post is morbid, but people who want to have horses really need to think about what they would do with a thousand pound corpse if the worst happens...this also may be why people would just rather set them "free"..out of sight, out of mind mentality...

[kryckis]

21. When I had to put my horse down

I took her to the vet where a slaughter man shot her outside by a waiting truck and took her away. It didn't cost a fortune and it was certainly the most humane way possible. All horses are euthanized this way in the area I live in at least, and I presume the cadavers are burned collectively somewhere. Seemed like an satisfactory solution even if the death was bloody and unpleasant.


People shouldn't be allowed to breed horses freely, quite frankly. Geld every horse that isn't star material and possibly castrate some people too. Should solve this problem in time.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

8. Some friends out in the desert having been taking in horses

Some friends have taken in four abandoned horses in the last few months, one of them literally followed them home from a trail ride and another was literally standing in the middle of Interstate 10 outside of Indigo. Two more were found abandoned at a foreclosed "ranch" (McMansion with a stable) by a realtor they know.

While they love the horses and intend to keep them, they say it is heartbreaking to know that they are somebodies "missing" pet.

[robcon]

12. They should be slaughtered for dog or people food.

Put them out of their misery if there is no way they can live in the wild.

[robinlynne]

13. ARGH!

[Runcible Spoon]

20. well, they are full of toxic chemicals from worming medication

that is given throughout their lives. I would not want that in the food supply. The best thing to do with unwanted, unadoptable horses, if we can't find the money or the sympathy to give them a comfortable life, is to spare them the misery of that truckride to Mexico and PUT THEM DOWN mercifully.

[robinlynne]

14. NOw there is something for a good millionaire to do. Rescue these horses.

One day, when the economy is back, they can have a petting zoo or a riding ranch or something to make the money back..

[RamboLiberal]

15. Maybe T. Boone Picken's wife will hear about them

She stepped up to save wild mustangs from slaughter just a few weeks ago. I posted the story here.

[Olney Blue]

16. Horses are wonderful animals, and this is sad.

[Richard D]

18. These stories

apparently rise from people who want to re-open the slaughter houses and have little to nothing to do with concern for the welfare of the horses.

[comanche12]

22. Quarter horse industry is driving these stories.

Overbreeding of horses for use in rodeos and elsewhere is the real problem here and that's what needs to be stopped. Followed by convincing reporters that people in cowboy hats aren't necessarily telling the truth.
And while some people must now decide between themselves and their horses, this is not a reason to re-open American slaughterhouses; animals should not be punished for the mistakes people make. If you aren't prepared to consider a horse a member of your family, don't buy one.

[riverdeep]

23. There's no license involved in getting horses.

Maybe there should be. You have to prove the ability to handle the expenses including unforseen vet bills due to a sudden turn in health and the ability to cover humane euthanasia and burial if it came to that.

Horses aren't goldfish.