This case just frosts me, because this person is not only intelligent and educated, she is a bloody veterinarian. Yet she is the grand prize winning color breeder from Hell. It kind of reminds me of that Joel Steinburg child killing case in NYC...the reason it was so shocking was the guy was a lawyer. He wasn't some uneducated, low functioning individual for whom child and wife beating equalled normalcy. He was a wealthy professional with many resources at his disposal if he had wanted help. Just like that case, this woman had many, many resources at her disposal but just like the worst BYB ever, covered up what was happening as long as she could. DISGUSTING.
From the Geelong Advertiser.
A BREEDING experiment gone wrong is the reason behind Lara vet Julie Tilbrook's ongoing horse saga.
Speaking to the Geelong Advertiser yesterday, Dr Tilbrook said the emaciated animals were part of a genetic program aimed at breeding a unique colour mutation, but that the ongoing drought had cruelled her plans.It is believed Dr Tilbrook has been trying to breed the unique ``brindling'' pattern from her thoroughbred stallion and registered Australian stock horse, Catch A Bird.
A source last night described the stallion's colouring as ``like dots joined together to form vertical stripes''.
``That pattern has never been seen before or since, it's a genetic mutation,'' the source said.
``That pattern has never been seen before or since, it's a genetic mutation,'' the source said.
Dr Tilbrook said yesterday two of her horses pictured in news reports were Catch A Bird's progency, and were part of her plan to reproduce the one-of-a-kind patterning.
``These two are carrying the genes. The roan horse here has got the mutation, and a couple of the other buckskins up there have, so I've got five or six of these horses that that stallion, if he had died without me doing this project, wouldn't have left any progeny behind at all, it would have died with him,'' she said.
``Now it's coming out in the foals it's looking quite unique, it's not something we've had before. The curls on the feet and the wave in the coat, it's not just a straight roan mutation, it is different.
``I've done two generations of it, I'd only need one third generation where I breed the carriers together to see what recessive things come out, and I'm home and hosed.''
Dr Tilbrook became emotional as she said it broke her heart to see her horses in such a ``hopeless'' condition, and acknowledged her dream was now in tatters.
``I've given up. The project's finished, I just have to let it go,'' she said.
``But that was the reason I've held on this long. That's the reason why I've persisted as long as I can.
``Plus, apart from that I've got a couple of sentimental horses of my own I've carreid as a hobby for years.''
Dr Tilbrook also seemed resigned to being deregistered as a vet as a result of the onoing RSPCA investigation.
``I'm going to be deregistered, I'm going to be jailed,'' she said.
``I don't really give a stuff, but all of this out in the open has let me do what I've been trying to do in dribs and drabs for a couple of years and finally everything's going to be placed properly.
``My main worry is that the research program is just going to (be wasted) because these horses _ the colts that are carrying it, they'll go to new homes, they'll just be gelded, and some of these people offering homes are just offering what you'd call retirement paddocks where the horses are just going to sit in a paddock and be a pet.''~~~
FHOTD back in: OMG. You are sick, sick, SICK, lady. Your horses are starving and your biggest worry is that they are going to be PETS now? Do you really think the horses care if their rare coloring is preserved? They'd just like some fucking food. THEY'RE LIVING CREATURES, NOT SOME GODDAMN SCIENCE EXPERIMENT FOR YOU TO PLAY WITH!
And then the dumb see-you-next-Tuesday, as Charlotte on Sex and the City euphemized what I'd like to call this woman, actually turned down $10,000 to buy one of the mares. Folks, it does not get more crazy than this woman. She belongs in a mental hospital!
She has been charged with 17 counts of animal cruelty regarding the horses and they are hoping to bar her permanently from owning any animals - I hope they succeed! She has also been charged with 21 counts of animal cruelty regarding reptiles in her possession that are also neglected and there's a problem with a dog, too. Hey, why confine your hoarding to one animal when you can have a whole bunch?
The really sad part is people probably sold/gave her animals trusting that she was a veterinarian and would take proper care of them. Just goes to show - trust no one. Check things out for yourself!
