Showing posts with label Sale Authority. Show all posts

Monday, September 19, 2011

Feels Like Coming Home

The day finally came, 8 of the 29 Twin Peaks Sale Authority horses who were sold for a mere 25 dollars each to a woman in Michigan arrived back home! With them only one of the foals born while they were back east.

Rolling in after traveling the many highways between Allegan MI and Northern California, covering 2184 miles, the wheels of their coach finally came to a stop at 7 AM, Sunday 9/11, at DreamCatcher Sanctuary.

Inside they stood still and quiet, ears flicked back and forth listening intently to the sounds outside, nostrils reached for any scent that wafted through the open windows.

The drivers quickly but very quietly opened their door to freedom.

Jewel was the first to emerge.

She put her nose in all directions smelling deeply the scents that now surrounded her.

Directly on her heels were the Paint mare Chocolate and the gelding called Onyx. They wasted no time catching up to Jewel.

The drivers opened another interior compartment for the next group to be released.

The next to take her careful steps to freedom was the buckskin mare, Phoenix.

She also put her nose to all directions then headed toward the others.

Stormy, the gray mare, could not get away from the truck fast enough passing her stall mate running for the others.

The gelding called Cortez close behind.

In the forward compartment was the Appaloosa mare Lace and her foal who were the next to make their dash to freedom.

With her baby boy Shilo right on her heels...

up the hill they went to have a look around.

To be quickly joined by the gelding called Duke after he was released from the rear compartment he occupied during the trip.

They immediately formed a herd and ran, rolled, sniffed the air, squealed at the other horses over the fence, then went for a big long drink of water.

Jewel carefully studied the horizon in every direction, her gaze was far away and long.
As incredible as this new sanctuary home is, her real home is just over those hills and she knew it.

The light and sparkle quickly returned to the nervous eyes that first emerged from the trailer.

So happy to be home!

As it should be... together and free, free from human interference or expectation.

To everyone who played a part in what to me is nothing short of a miracle...

Thank You!!!

Read Older Posts below for more of their stories and many photos.

In Defense of Animals www.idausa.org founder Dr. Elliot Katz joyfully observed the safe return and release of these lucky few. With him was filmmaker Michael Bailey www.planetviews.com who was filming. Watch for their upcoming documentary of this event.
Also read IDA's story IDA Helps Mustangs Return Home

Also see the Humane Observer blog for more information.
More pictures are posted on The Michigan Horse Welfare Coalitions facebook page.
Straight From the Horse's Heart blog posted an article Abused Twin Peaks Wild Horses Come Home to DreamCatcher.

Sunset over the Sanctuary

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Home Again, Home Again...

Wild horses graze peacefully at DreamCatcher Sanctuary

If you have been following the story of the 29 Twin Peaks mustangs that were sold to a woman in Michigan and soon after were found starving, there are exciting new developments along with some disheartening news.

First the great news… the future for 8 of these mustangs, along with one mare’s new foal born while in MI, has taken a turn for the better! After difficult deliberations and many sleepless nights, with no help from the local authorities, these fortunate few will be making the trip back to California and DreamCatchers Sanctuary on September 9^th.
Some of the horses returning home are...

# 1765 Appaloosa mare along with her appaloosa colt.

photo by Jodi Louth

# 1981 "Jewel" - the sorrel mare whose foal died at Michigan State University. (read their story here)

Shortly after arriving in MI.

The day MHWC found her starving and ready to foal.

photo by Jodi Louth

MHWC took her to a foster home.

photo by Jodi Louth

Her foal was born but she was to weak to care for him.
He died at the MSU despite the intensive care.

photo by Jodi Louth

Shortly after foaling.

photo by Jodi Louth

On the road to recovery...

photo by Jodi Louth

and ready to go home!

photo by Jodi Louth

# 1598 Dun gelding.

His story went like this...

Chased from his home and family by helicopter photo by BLM

Day after capture at Litchfield corrals

Sorted to be gelded in preparation for sale

Suffering in Michigan

photo by Jodi Louth

At foster home waiting for his ride back to California

photo by Jodi Louth

# 1557 Black gelding, star and missing left ear tip.

photo by Jodi Louth

# 1523 Black gelding with 4 white socks.

photo by Jodi Louth

This victory for the horses has come at quite a high price and now they need our help again! Financial support to help cover the expense of interstate vet checks and testing along with their safe, caring and comfortable ride home. These horses have been through so much trauma and hardship they need to be returned to a life of freedom... the only life they knew before they were stripped off their home range last summer along with over 1700 others from the Twin Peaks Herd Management Area.

Donations are being accepted by DreamCatcher Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary please visit their web site. If you feel the call to help these misplaced mustangs in Michigan get back home please know your donation is fully tax deductible, greatly appreciated and will be recognised! Watch for more information.

DreamCatcher is a 501c3 not for profit sanctuary.

Thank You!

A letter from Barbara at DreamCatcher

As for those still in Michigan we have not given up on their safe return home but for now most remain in the hands of the original purchaser. Some of the mares are still believed to be heading to Florida, to a "breeding farm" and an owner who has admitted to selling horses at auction. There are many illegal horse slaughter operations in FL and Sale Authority BLM mustangs are easy targets.
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Updates and more photos to follow.
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Thursday, July 7, 2011

How You Can Help

A message from Michigan Horse Welfare Coalition...

Jewel just days before giving birth to her foal who died at Michigan State University

photo by Jodi Louth

Justice for Jewel and the other Michigan Mustangs!

The MHWC has received a lot of inquiries as what can be done at this point to help the Allegan County Mustangs. So, here is what we suggest:

Please send an email to Prosecutor Frederick Anderson who made the decision to not press any charges against the owner of these mustangs despite what seems to be overwhelming evidence that the following law was allegedly violated on multiple counts: Michigan statute MCL 750.50, which states that animals must receive adequate care, which is defined as “sufficient food, water, shelter, sanitary conditions, exercise and veterinary medical attention in order to maintain an animal in a state good health.” The statute further defines “neglect” as failure to “sufficiently and properly care for an animal to the extent that the animal’s health is jeopardized.”

Multiple eye witness reports, including veterinary reports and visits from Allegan County Animal Control, attest to the following alleged violations:

Insufficient food on multiple occasions spanning a long period of time, causing near death by starvation
Insufficient veterinary care for sick/injured mustangs in the owner’s care

Further, there are numerous witnesses who can attest to the fact that the owner made it very difficult, if not impossible, for people to adopt any of these mustangs. Many potential adopters were turned away because the owner said that the horses were already adopted, despite the fact that they stood starving in her own backyard. The owner also had very specific conditions, including the forbidding of gelding stud colts for two years that adopters had to agree to.

The attached photo is of “Jewel,” just one of the horses allegedly starving to death at the property before she was rescued. A veterinary report confirms that her condition was due to nutritional deficiencies AND the owner’s own vet confirmed to the MHWC that the owner never called him to the property to assess or treat this horse even though the owner claims that Jewel was thin due to illness.

There were also several foals with leg injuries - one, a colt, had a leg injury that nearly went “septic” due to lack of treatment. If this colt had not been rescued, he also would have likely died or become permanently lame. This injury required antibiotic injections for 2 weeks.

Please demand that justice is served on behalf of these Michigan Mustangs! Even one conviction of animal neglect against this owner will prevent her from ever being able to adopt another BLM Mustang again! Please also demand that the remaining mustangs be seized and allowed to return to California – to a sanctuary similar to the home they have known for over a decade, where they can once again live wild and free as they were intended!

Email: Prosecutor Frederick Anderson at: PROSECUTOR@ALLEGANCOUNTY.ORG

Copy: Sgt. Chris Kuhn (investigating officer) at: CKuhn@ALLEGANCOUNTY.ORG and the Sheriff at: Sheriff@ALLEGANCOUNTY.ORG and the MHWC at: info@michiganhorsewelfarecoalition.org

Letters can be snail mailed to the Prosecutor at:

Frederick Anderson
Prosecuting Attorney
Allegan County
113 Chestnut Street
Allegan, Michigan 49010
Phone: 269-673-0280
Fax: 269-673-0599

Thank you for your continued support for these Mustangs!!