Information on Custody of I-44 Horses

[Solitaire]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stcharles/story/089824DE54CBF4\
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Humane Society wants custody of animals
By Tim O'Neil
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/05/2006


The Humane Society of Missouri won't pursue its costs of caring for the horses
that were injured in a truck wreck - if an insurance company will hand over
ownership of the animals, a society official said Wednesday.

The Humane Society has been caring for 25 horses and a mule that survived the
crash Sept. 27 on Interstate 44 near Stanton. Debbie Hill, director of rescue
investigations for the society, said the cost of caring for them has risen above
$50,000.

Sixteen other horses either died in the crash or had to be euthanized. They were
being hauled from Stroud, Okla., to the Cavel International Inc. horse-meat
processing plant in DeKalb, Ill., about an hour west of Chicago.

The Missouri Highway Patrol says Charles Carter, a broker from Loveland, Colo.,
owned the horses. Hill said the Humane Society is dealing with Carter's
insurance company to obtain custody of the surviving animals.
Normally, she said, an insurance company would take the animals after settling
with an animal broker, such as Carter. The Humane Society also would have a
claim against the insurance policy for the expenses it incurred during the
rescue and follow-up care.

"But our intent is to get custody of the horses," she said. "That would leave us
with a big hit, but it's in the best interest of the horses."

The society has created a "Horse Hero" program to raise money for their care,
complete with a Web page that can be reached via www.hsmo.org, showing photos of
each horse. It also has mailed more than 65 information packets to people who
have expressed interest in adopting the animals.

Under direction of the Humane Society, area veterinarians continue to care for
18 of the animals and eight others are at the Humane Society's Longmeadow Rescue
Ranch near Union. Earlene Cole, the ranch director, said three of the rescued
horses remain in serious condition, with survival uncertain.

Sol