[sher327]

No appeal in seizure of horse

Owner has no response to confiscation of starving animals at Dunlap farm




Friday, January 14, 2005




CHICAGO (AP) - The owner of six starving horses confiscated by the state last month has not appealed the action, so the animals will not be returned and could be sold, officials said.



Chicago firefighter Victor Abreu, 42, had until Wednesday to challenge the state's confiscation of his horses from a farm in Dunlap. He did not file an appeal, Department of Agriculture spokeswoman Chris Herbert said.

The state seized the horses, described as malnourished, on Dec. 31. They were moved to the Hooved Animal Rescue and Protection Society in Barrington Hills.

Abreu has kept the horses, as well as 10 others, at the Dunlap farm of David Menold since summer. Menold said he has lien on the 10 remaining ani-mals and would not let Abreu take them until $10,000 in shelter, food and veterinary care is paid. He said Abreu contacted him this week and is willing to work out an arrangement.

The Hooved Animal Rescue and Protection Society is looking for qualified buyers for the six horses taken from Abreu. Ronda Ewing, director of development for the group, said they are doing better.

"They're getting stronger and gaining weight," she said.

Abreu said Saturday he planned to sell the 10 other horses to a DeKalb slaughterhouse to cut his losses. They were part of a failed horse-breeding program.

But word of the slaughter plan prompted people from Illinois, Pennsylvania and Virginia to pledge $4,000, along with feed and transportation, to move the 10 horses, said Barb Boubelik, director of the Lazy Maple Equine Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Leland.

"They will not be slaughtered," Boubelik said. "That is the main goal."

[sher327]

go to the rescues website, they have pics of some of these horses, such a shame. They were being boarded about an hour north of me, its just too bad for those poor horses

Click on their link that says rescues and theres a bit more of the story....

[mustang_dodger]

glad the horses were saved. man i only live 3 hours west of dunlap.

[sher327]

ya I'm glad too! so close to us and yet you never know what people are doing! Hes a jerk.....

[mustang_dodger]

there was a person in kewanee ill too that starved horses too. they were in really bad shaped this was 3 years ago.