Monday, March 23, 2009

Economic Barometer

Follows is an email I rec'd from a fellow riding club member. The Machickanee is a 6000 acre county forest just one mile to the south of our home. I'll spare you the graphic pics:

Please be warned these pictures are graphic. These horses were found in the Michickanee on Sunday March 22 by a man walking his dog. They were discovered about 100 yards off the road on North Stiles Tower Rd. I took these pictures in an attempt to identify the horses and bring the executioner to justice. I was told they were shot but it was all I could do to take the pictures, I could not bring myself to look for the bullet holes. I can tell you that judging from the scrapes on the little sorrel he had been dragged. I believe the sorrel was rolled over by police and that is why he is so dirty. I am both saddened and outraged by this act and I am asking the everyone help me to identify these horses. They both look to be yearlings but could be 2 years since it is clear they were not cared for. The sorrel has a star and the tip of his tail appears to be black. The little paint should be easier to identify. She is a tri-color paint with black on the end of her tail, black above the socks on her front legs and black on the top of her mane and forelock. I will follow up with the Oconto county Sherriff tomorrow and I will make every effort to inform the public of this crime. If you have any information please contact me.

Thanks. Patty W.


A sign of our troubled times? As shocking as it is, I'm not really surprised. As jobs are lost and pockets go empty, and with nowhere to go with their uncared for animals, what option does the average backyard owner do? Surely I'm not justifying this, but just trying to view it from a practical standpoint.

We are a society that was raised to live beyond our means. For many, horses are one of those "little pleasures" that folks think they need to have. Along with their mortgage, payments for the truck, the boat, the Harley, the dinners out three nites a week, life comes to an abrupt halt when that paycheck stops coming every week. And the little pleasures have to get cut out of their lives.

Are you prepared to handle keeping what is near and dear to you if the economic broadaxe swings your way?

If you are local to the greater Oconto/Oconto Falls area and think you could help in identifying the owners of these horses, send me an email.

8 comments:

The Wife said...

That is sad. A local Sheriff's dept round here went on a place to save what was left of the horses and cattle. The owner was just lettin' them starve to death. Horrible. Then the crazy owner came out of the woods with a rifle. I didn't mind so much seeing the police take him down to the ground.

Aunt Krissy said...

If you can't find a buyer what are you to do? I think shooting the animals is lot better then letting them starve. I do go to some horse blogs.I have read some real bad things that happen to horses at big horse sales. Tough place to be in. But then I do wonder why not sell the boat, the 4 wheeler and stuff to buy feed?

Cedar View Paint Horses said...

A.K., this was a situation where they let them starve (and badly), then they hauled them out to the woods to shoot them.

The starving the animal is far more inhumane than shooting it.

finski said...

Oh yeahhhh, my 4 boys will always have a home. It helps that we have never lived beyond our means anyway and while no job is secure I'm sure, I feel mine with the ANG is...although I don't know what my retiement benifits might turn out to be. We save for the proverbial rainy day and the horses are included into the budget. Heck.. I even have homes for them should I die. Those idle mongers have it better than I do! LOL!

Aunt Krissy said...

CVPH
That's what I don't get, why let a animal starve? And at one time it was their pet?! I just don't get that. I do hope that they find the owners and fine them big time.

Chris & Eva said...

This story made the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/newswatch/41753632.html

Cedar View Paint Horses said...

Well, it seems that the offenders have been found. As it turns out (which matched my hunch) there were two parties involved - the owners and the dumpers. That's all I care to share at this time.

The sheriff's department commented on the success of the networking done by concerned folks via the internet as being one of the factors of locating the involved parties so quickly.

If you were involved in helping locate these folks, I owe you a beer.

GreenRanchingMom said...

It is very sad that they let these horses starve. I think that part of the problem starts with the lack of a horse market (the bottom part, ie meat). If we still had that option, people like this, might just sell them instead of letting them starve.

But is still isn't right, and its an awful thing to happen!