I am SICK–What suggestions can help prevent this?
By Jerome Burdi | South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach
March 2, 2008
Gege, the 12-year-old starved quarter horse with bones protruding from her skin, has the will to live, a rescue worker says.
Debra McBride who runs an independent rescue center in Loxahatchee, took Gege in Friday and said she will keep her if she is not adopted.
"I think any animal is worth saving if they have the will to live," McBride said.On Feb. 23, Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control saved Gege from neglect at her home west of Lake Worth. Officers filed felony animal cruelty charges against the former owner, Ralph Mansfield, 46.
He told animal care officers he could not afford the upkeep. Gege's shape was so poor she faced euthanasia, but officers say there's hope because she remains social. "Horses are very forgiving animals," McBride said. "It's always unconditional."
(This is part of actual news article–search & read for yourself)
The article has a pic of the horse & wrote this was not the owners first starved horse.
It is just a misdemeanor to starve, abuse a horse because they are livestock in our State. Is a felony if its a dog or cat.
Thank Goodness Animal Planet help make people more aware!
In our area–people in rural areas just open gates & let horses loose to roam. W/drought last year & poor pasture, some can't afford hay.
No one can prove who owns them, neighbors won't rat on another.
A # have been hit & killed by cars! How tragic for the drivers & poor horse suffers till euthanized.
I WISH I could rescue a couple of horse–I can afford to rescue dogs or cats–but I feel the $$$crunch too. Pasture board is only $85 for 2–Excellent! Add feed, hay, recent hoof abscess, meds, teeth floating, supplement for arthritic knee.
I know humans & pets world wide are starving too! Feel so helpless to do anything & also feel angry.
Time to go to barn & grocery store.
Unfortunately nothing will prevent this from happening. Just as there is nothing that will prevent cruelty or abuse. How ever you try and whatever laws are in place, there is no answer for the depraved, the mentally ill, the callous and the plain uncaring in the world. The only answer is to be vigilant and try to report all animal abuses as and when you see them. I know it is part of modern thinking to believe that there are answers to these problems, but the truth is harsh. Humans are capable of horrific cruelty, some are unstable, some insane, some demented, some just nasty. Animals are much nicer 'people'!
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4 Responses to “Why do people starve their horses–food/hay costs a lot–BUT why not get for help?”
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i really do wish that people would take RESPONSIBILITY for their animals, even if that means giving the animal up and taking it to a shelter. if i couldn't care for my pets, i would surrender them…at least then i would know that they're taken care of.
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that is so sickening to see that. i think what would really help animal abuse like that is for breeders and sellers of these horses and other animals actually see where the buyer will keep the horse and make sure they know what they are getting into. it's easy to say, "i want a horse, they are so cute!" and go out and buy one with little knowledge of the care they need to provide. if the sellers would actually take the time to see where the horse is going and check to make sure that the buyer's care is the best place for the animal, then this would not be so common.
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Unfortunately nothing will prevent this from happening. Just as there is nothing that will prevent cruelty or abuse. How ever you try and whatever laws are in place, there is no answer for the depraved, the mentally ill, the callous and the plain uncaring in the world. The only answer is to be vigilant and try to report all animal abuses as and when you see them. I know it is part of modern thinking to believe that there are answers to these problems, but the truth is harsh. Humans are capable of horrific cruelty, some are unstable, some insane, some demented, some just nasty. Animals are much nicer 'people'!
References :
Some horses can look like they're undernourished when in fact they have an underlying medical condition. For instance, my cousin had an elderly mare who was fed a large portion of grain daily (twice in the winter) and had unlimited access to hay in the winter and grain in the summer, yet Gina (the mare) was very thin, ie. ribs visible and what not. It turns out that Gina had a massive heart murmur, which affected her weight, according to our vet. I'm not saying that's always the case (rarely it is), but it can happen.
Many times people get a horse without knowing just how much it costs to maintain the upkeep of the horse. Some people, when they realize that they can't afford the upkeep, do the right thing and sell or surrender the horse to someone who can take care of the horse. However, some people consider horses as a status symbol, and think they must keep it, even if they can't afford the upkeep. Those people need to be persecuted for animal cruelty. People like that make me sick.
What can prevent this? I don't know if we can 100% prevent it, but here's something that can help: Research. It doesn't take much research to figure out how much grain and hay a horse can eat per day, per week, per year, whatever, and how much grain and hay costs.
*Hey, a thumbs down. At least someone thinks strongly enough about my answer. Thanks!
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