[Top Dun]

http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/7871022.html

MLive.com: Everything Michigan

WOODTV.com & WOOD TV8 - Grand Rapids news, weather, sports and video - Help pouring in for horses rescued in Jackson County

WILX - News

[Top Dun]

MLive.com: Everything Michigan

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Ghastly scene at Grass Lake horse farm
By Kristin Longley
klongley@citpat.com — 768-4917
Even seasoned animal control officers flinched at the sight: Emaciated horses crowded into too-small barn stalls, knee-high animal feces and trash covering the ground, and the overwhelming smell of urine.
The Grass Lake Township farm where 69 malnourished horses were found last week is unlike anything Jackson County Animal Control has ever seen, Director Kimberlee Luce said at the scene today.
The investigation started when officers received phone calls about two weeks ago that horses were running loose off the Turn-3 Ranch at E. Michigan Avenue and Maute Road.
A visit to the property revealed a dead and decomposing horse in the driveway. That red flag prompted animal control to impound the property and the starving horses trapped within its rusty wire fences.

For the complete story, return to Mlive.com on Friday or pick up a copy of Friday's Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Support pours in for horses
By Kristin Longley
klongley@citpat.com — 768-4917
Rescue workers said today they have received an outpouring of support for the 69 malnourished horses impounded at a Grass Lake Township farm.
“It’s fantastic and overwhelming,” rescue coordinator Laura Steenrod said. “We’re fielding calls left and right.”
Steenrod spearheaded the effort with the help of the Leelanau Horse Rescue, a statewide network formed after a Leelanau County community encountered a similar case of horse neglect.
The Jackson County horses, trapped behind tattered wire fences amid piles of trash and manure, were discovered by animal control last week.

For the complete story, return to Mlive.com on Saturday or pick up a copy of Saturday’s Jackson Citizen Patriot.

[Top Dun]

I found some more information, But it's a link to a different forum so Can't post it here by forum rules. But here are some of the comments

Posted by: Bill Location: Texas
I saw your first videos of the horse abuse accusations and it was a shame your reporters did not show the fat horses in the background of your videos. As a long term horse owner I know how accident prone horses can be and for them to take 4 of 69 horses with known ailments or old age and confiscate property and destroy two mens lives is insane. I hope you will reprimand your reporters for being scammed by two beligerant and totally off base women acting like drama queens. I have delt with these two men over many years, bred to their stallions, purchased horses from each other .... and never have I got an unhealthy horse for them. I find it totally unprofessional of your news people to cast the light on this seizure per your news videos. I hope these two men can sue you for slander and unjustified persecution. As news people you should know there are weird people similar to the PETA organization that accuse people of so many wrongs and you validate it by placing it on your news casts as truths. Horses are not house pets they are a livestock business. The people that read the Black Beauty and Black Stallion books are totally off base and have never owned a horse in their lives... all they have is a glorified book or film as their base for creating havoc and your news station was totally out of line. I think it is past time for you to apologize to Jim and Matt and offer to pay their attorney bills... without your zealous drama based news coveage that poor under educated animal control person and the one from the other county did not have a leg to stand on. The paid "professional" witness testified it was torture.. he was paid to say that... so do something American and protect these two guys from further belligerant nonsense!! So...are you going to apologize and send your money to defend these two men!!


By Kristin Longley

klongley@citpat.com -- 768-4917

None of the 69 horses on a Grass Lake Township farm experienced torture, or agony of the body or mind, a local veterinarian testified Wednesday.

"These horses did not look like they were being starved," said Dr. Robert Sray of Northwest Veterinary Clinic in Tompkins Township. "They were eating hay -- they had access to it that day."

It was the first day of testimony by witnesses for the defense in the preliminary hearing for Matthew Mercier and James Henderson Jr., the farm's manager and owner, respectively. They are charged with three counts each of animal torture, a felony; and one count of failure to provide adequate care.

All of the witnesses for the defense said the conditions on the farm were not consistent with abuse, neglect or torture.

District Judge Joseph Filip so far has heard about 18 hours of testimony in the hearing, which will determine whether the case will go to trial. A simultaneous forfeiture hearing will determine who gets custody of the horses.

Much of the hearing has centered around three horses -- an underweight grulla mare, a filly that had wire embedded in her leg and a paint colt that was later euthanized for a hip problem.

The prosecution is defining the torture of these animals as acts that directly or indirectly cause agony of the body or mind. All the animals were seized in March by Jackson County Animal Control after officers found horses in conditions that they say at least indicate neglect.

The defense maintains that the horses never should have been seized.

"They (the horses) wintered pretty hard, but they made it through the winter," said Sray, who has cared for some of the horses sporadically since 2005. "Most of the horses I saw or worked on were in good shape."

Two hay farmers testified for the defense that Mercier was a regular customer, occasionally buying hay several times a week in varying quantities. Three of Mercier's friends testified he visited the farm at least once a day.

He "lives and breathes horses," the witnesses said.

Sray, who gave the lengthiest statement Wednesday, visited the farm for a few hours a couple days before the horses were seized to look them over, but said he only touched one horse.

He said some horses are naturally thin -- much like people -- and hair loss from lice is normal in the winter.

The day he was there, the horses seemed alert and about a dozen were eating, he said.

During cross-examination, Sray said he would have recommended some of the horses be blanketed and fed grain, and that debris in the barn needed to be cleaned up.

Sray and the other witnesses' statements contrast sharply with those for the prosecution, which include testimony from Animal Control officers, veterinarians for the state and an equine veterinarian.

A Michigan State University veterinary student and members of a horse-rescue operation were expected to testify for the defense in the coming weeks

[Top Dun]

I"m done and off to go riding, but as you can see there are still Discrepancies in the stories and it's out there on the internet both sides.

[truthteller]

Originally Posted by Super Step

Not true
Liability of Message Boards / Chat Rooms
Can you provide links to the trial? That would be nice.
I am curious, because I did not see it mentioned, were you there? Did you visit the rescue during the time this story broke? Are you associated with the rescue mentioned?
Just curious where your information comes from.
Photochick was kind enough to post the link to where her information was acquired.

This thread and small discussion had died and was in archives. You do understand that by replying, it brought the topic back to the front page and opened the discussion again.

The news was and is all over it. Mlive.com covers a lot of it. I am affiliated with the owners of this ranch. My information comes directly from the trial court! Under oath testimony, as well as from the accused. What the accused have said all along is what is coming out in trial finally, despite perjury from AC.

I also know lots about the rescue, both from research and from what they have put out there by their own mouths. It has been lies, lies and more lies. They continue to make very clear this is the biggest rescue in state, maybe even nation wide, history. They wanted a name for themselves and saw cash cows.

The first vet EVER out there was Animal Control's own County Vet. He recommended no seizure of anything and to simply monitor to make sure things were being done that the caretaker said he was doing. Ie... feeding the 24, 25 year old mares extra, feeding the sick grulla mare extra, taking the injured to the vet! Not 1, but 2 (count them 2) vet appts were cancelled by Animal Control as a result of their "investigation". They waited over a week to have a vet to the farm. They then waited over a month for specialized care that the caretaker was persuing when they came in and stole the property.

They gave no warning, no investigation, no education to owners. NOTHING. Walked in there, decided to make a name for themselves, and IMPOUNDED everything including trucks, horse trailers, tack, tractors, equipment and horses.

1 vet for the prosecution testified that 58 of 69 horses were at BCS of basically 5 or better! 1 horse had a cut on it's body. 2 of the 3 skinny mares were 24 and 25, just didn't winter well despite being fed. The 3rd skinny horse had been sick the month prior and had lost a TON of weight.

Those are the facts folks. I do realize this drug up an old thread. I just found it and wanted to make it known that there are always 2 sides to a story. Most people never hear the other side because the UGLY side (which isn't always truthful) is far more fun.

[plainjanemw]

Not only do I wish I had the money to care for all the neglected horses- I wish I had the money to hire someone to take care of the ********who do this- and take care of 'em the right way- none of this wussy stuff of a measly $500 fine, as one gentleman got after several offenses.

[truthteller]

Originally Posted by plainjanemw

Not only do I wish I had the money to care for all the neglected horses- I wish I had the money to hire someone to take care of the ********who do this- and take care of 'em the right way- none of this wussy stuff of a measly $500 fine.

Are you still blinded by the propaganda? Have you not read the entire thread?

[riderofthehorse]

that is absolutely horrible. i can't believe that someone could be that heartless to just leave them. i simply can't understand it. and what is sick is that if they find this person they will probably only get like 3 years of jail. sick, sick, sick.

[truthteller]

Originally Posted by riderofthehorse

that is absolutely horrible. i can't believe that someone could be that heartless to just leave them. i simply can't understand it. and what is sick is that if they find this person they will probably only get like 3 years of jail. sick, sick, sick.

OMG... people. Is reading the entire thread not possible???????????? This is how EVERY HORSE OWNER is going to get in trouble because of this case. People don't look at facts or even take 2 seconds to consider that something beyond abuse may be going on!!!!!!!!!! That is what Animal Control did here. Don't you see it?

[Xiphias]

Evedently not everyone read the links that Top Dun posted....yes there are 2 sided to this story....thanks for posting those links Top Dun, and Truthteller....Cathy