Out of everything I write about here, my favorite stories are the happy endings for horses, but a close second are the times I get to write and tell you that some horse abusing asshat ACTUALLY GOT PROSECUTED. This is one of those times!
Remember Ruby? Hell, how could you forget. I featured her story here after blog reader Dawn filled me in, and Katie Merwick at Second Chance Ranch graciously donated the funds to put the poor mare out of her misery.
Here's the original story of Ruby (warning, pretty graphic starvation picture). Ruby was an old APHA mare who needed to be put to sleep, but not in the way the knuckle-dragging owners were planning - just shootin' her, which I suspect would have ended up like yesterday's story about the Arabian in Bend, if not worse.
Well, Dawn didn't just say, ok, I cleaned up the mess, and drop it. Dawn went after these people with a vengeance, even though she lives in a rural county - the kind of place where all of you moan that law enforcement doesn't care, that nothing you can do gets any action taken. You know what they say about the squeaky wheel. Tonight, the Whatcom County Jail has a few new inmates! Maria Huffman and her son R. J. Huffman are cooling their heels in the pokey for second degree animal abuse. Maria's equally scummy boyfriend, Mike Wopat, must have bailed himself out because he's no longer on the list. I screen capped it in case the Huffmans' relatives pawn enough stuff to get them out.
Here's the whole story:
"As it turns out, not only were they cruel to her, but another horse that they left for dead at a friends house. Plus they were hoarding other animals at their place of residence in a TRAILER PARK. 15 starving dogs in crates, 7 cats, pigs (yes pigs), ducks, chickens, hamsters, rabbits and dozens of parrots and other birds and lord knows what else.
I don't have the exact number of dogs, cats, birds (of all species) and all the rest of the animals. It was NINE dogs though..all in crates stacked on top of each other! The Clean Air Association was out there with the raid...because the double wide trailer was so contaminated they wanted to be sure the neighbors were safe! can you imagine?? Poor animals....
They live at Tall Cedars trailer park in Ferndale WA. They have the rest of their animals on the corner of Guide Meridian and Axton Road, right across from the Guide Trading post. (locals here will know where that is) The horses and cow there look good because they are on pasture now. The spotted horse (fugly) is a STALLION and has bred all the others. That was Ruby's son...the reason they claim to have gotten rid of Ruby was because he was trying to breed her and they didn't want him to get kicked! GRRRR...."
They live at Tall Cedars trailer park in Ferndale WA. They have the rest of their animals on the corner of Guide Meridian and Axton Road, right across from the Guide Trading post. (locals here will know where that is) The horses and cow there look good because they are on pasture now. The spotted horse (fugly) is a STALLION and has bred all the others. That was Ruby's son...the reason they claim to have gotten rid of Ruby was because he was trying to breed her and they didn't want him to get kicked! GRRRR...."
Yes, it's another horror story - BUT THEY'RE IN JAIL! And the sheriff is committed to throwing the book at them. WOO HOO! Every time this happens, trust me, another bunch of people - everybody who knows these folks - learn that animal abuse is a crime. They learn you can't just say "but I didn't have any money" and that will get you off the hook.
Sometimes they are awful shocked to find out these facts of life. Remember Jean Elledge, the Krazy Kolor Breeder who starved numerous Arabians, Saddlebreds and crosses to death in Carnation? Original post here. I am equally pleased to announce that the Judge gave ol' Jean nine months in the slammer! He didn't buy the old lady, but I looooove them bullshit. He put the bitch behind bars! Here's ol' Jean. Didn't miss any meals while she was starving her horses to death, did she?
From a news article:
"I'm trying myself to understand what happened," Elledge said. "I didn't see the horses starving."
Well, sweetie, you're going to have NINE MONTHS TO THINK ABOUT IT. I don't know how you could goddamn well miss THE DEAD ONE lying 20 feet from your house. Maybe you can work on your powers of observation during those NINE MONTHS IN JAIL.
The judge didn't buy any of her crap.
"In sentencing Elledge, Ramsdell referenced the quote, "the measure of a society is how it treats its weakest members," and said in this case, the weakest members were horses, dependent on Elledge."People treat their cars better than you treated these animals," Ramsdell said."
GO JUDGE RAMSDELL. And he's making her pay restitution too!
Here is his web site if you want to write him a nice thank-you note.
And the best part? She's still facing charges in Snohomish County - so she may get even more time! Ramsdell banned her from animal ownership for 5 years. Let's see Snoho up that to life.
So, two down and Dean Solomon goes to trial on November 10th. I'm trying to find out more info on that for those of you who'd like to suggest a sentence to that judge! By the way, who is Molly King? She just got a default judgment against Dean for $40,276.84. Damn. Way to go, Ms. King. Was it horse related? What'd she do to you?
Guys, I know it seems like an endless battle and like all we do is slam our heads against the wall, but the world is changing...this is an exciting time if you look at it the right way, and if you've been around long enough to remember when stuff like this never got prosecuted. For you young whippersnappers, trust me, when I was your age, this stuff never got prosecuted. You had to just about set a horse on fire in the middle of the street to get jail time for animal abuse. Starving them would NEVER have put you behind bars.
Thank you to all of the police, animal control authorities and judges who are changing the world. Thank you to all of the individuals who report abuse and neglect. Thank you to all of the rescuers who bring so many horses back from the brink of death. I love watching the change happen and am excited and hopeful every day that things are going to get so much better for horses in my lifetime than I can even imagine right now.
137 comments:
Good to see. How do people not notice when an animal is starving? Because they simply don't care.
I drive by the horses from the Ellidge case almost every day. they look AWESOME! nice pasture and stalls and warm blankets and they have food yeah!! Ellidge is scum....hope sno county throws the judges desk at her along with the book!
Some of those Elledge horses have really turned out great...quite a few are already adopted, some are being trained under saddle. Anyone wanting to adopt one should check out Save A Forgotten Equine and of course you can sponsor one, too!
Hi, Just wanted to say that the neighbors were the ones to alert the ASPCA about the home of Maria Huffman, RJ Huffman and Mike Wopat. After the ASPCA went in and took those animals, that is when they finally were able to do something about Ruby. The prosecutor/sheriff would like to get first degree on Ruby, and with all the pictures I took, the FULL vet report of Dr Dave Sauter of Kulshan vet in Lynden, we hope to get that done.
I am pushing every button, crossing every "T" and dotting ever "i". I have an inside informant that has been a large help in this matter, and with everyone's help and my connection with my friend at the ASPCA....something will finally happen on Ruby's behalf!!
Thank you to the neighbors there that got this ball finally rolling. I could not get it done on my own!!
WOO HOO!!!!
To think I protected her identity to give her a CHANCE to do what was right. She told a friend it would be a 'quote' "cold day in hell before I pay that rescue or that bitch back" (meaning me and katie at second chance ranch)
Well Maria....how does it feel to be locked in a crate???
I warned you didn't I.
Ruby can finally rest in peace, not to mention poor Chief who you left for dead. And you call ME a b#$@ ???
Sleep well Maria...lol...I know I will!!
I'm waiting for that sweetness...I can almost taste it now!
P.S. It's even better than Ben & Jerry.
I can't tell you how nice it is to know that a judge is advocating for the animals for once. I only wish he had done it for longer.
Great news, Fugly!
Ellie and Werther Blog
I'm not convinced that the hoarders and asshats learn from this kind of thing (I wouldn't describe most of them as 'learners') but their neighbors sure do. The more people actually get prosecuted the more people will report people with underweight, injured, and otherwise abused and neglected animals.
No one wants to waist their time and even fewer of them want to report their neighbor, have nothing done about it, and then have to continue living next to that person after they find out it was them who made the call. Having some level of confidence that justice will be done is going to inspire people to report these kinds of crimes.
I think what it does is that it discourages the element we don't want owning horses from owning horses. I think they can perceive, gee, what a headache, those horses were so expensive and my buddy got in that much trouble just 'cause they were a little skinny, I'll get a 4-wheeler instead. Which is EXACTLY the conclusion I'd like them to come to.
It must work some of the time. I mean, I just heard of some guys picking up six OTTB mares and now they are shocked because they did not realize they were going to be that expensive to feed. They thought they were going to buy them and make money. *sigh* Yeah, we'll have those in rescue within the year...I mean, how do you not know that horses are going to be expensive to keep???
Finally justice is served for some of these poor horses!! How can people look at these horses with bones protruding everywhere and not do something. Give them away, shoot them but don't leave them to die a slow and painful death by starvation. Dick wads!!
I just wish we had judges in Australia that would throw the book at animal abusers. It is so pathetic here that even the lawyers have started an action group to get judges to prosecute to the full extent of the law. There website is www.bleats.com.au maybe a few signatures on their petition would help.
I have a question, and it is a serious one, not a snarky in any way, one.
Why, with all those brilliant and CHEAP animals, a known quantity etc, on the SAFE board, would anyone go and buy form anywhere else?????
My latest Dobe (my breed!) came through rescue (Not a cruelty case, though) and came complete with his reg papers, inoculations, microchip, neutered, and a totally known quantity- Yes I had problems, some that I had not expected, but I got a pedigree dog for nothing (Fee was waived)
So, why would you look any further.
Heck I don't even ride anymore and do not live in the US and I have been tempted by certain little Bay Arab mares and even geldings, so how about we make a pact that our next purchase, whatever species, will be "second hand"???
Fugly,
Finally, after several years of dead horses, starved horses and allegedly killing her own stallion.......Carol Clinton needs to go on the list of those that one should not do any business with!
Stevens County is taking this one to court! This is the 24 starving horses in Springdale. Carol formerly resided in Deer Park. If ANYONE has any information on Carol Clinton that will help this case, please contact Detective Taylor at the Stevens County Sheriff department in Colville, WA.
Any help would be most appreciated!
Reddi and Willing are eating, drinking and getting their needs met. A big "THANK YOU" to Dr. Tami Beottcher for assessing the situation and advising all of us on what to do for these poor horses!!
If anyone needs photos, contact me, I will gladly send them to you. Reddi is maybe a 1 on the BS, could be a .75!!
Carrie Giannandrea
Dances with Horses
Formula One Farms
Every article I read yesterday had to do with horse neglect, unwanted horses, and the general perils of animals. It is so rewarding to stick through the bad to see some good. Good job to everyone involved in those cases!!!!!
That's excellent news.
There's a govt petition in the UK arguing for tougher sentences for animal abusers since more and more cases of maiming, attacking and physical abuse, as well as neglect, are becoming public. Sickening, but all the more reason to keep fighting it.
Hallelujah! Hope she makes some realllll nice friends in the Pokie.
Oh and here's a new FHOTD entry via, everyone's favorite, Craig's List: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/grd/895653530.html
Of course, he's a stallion. Oy vey
Just gets better and better!
On as asshat native to my state-
What's been happening with the Sparks' Trading Post case? I haven't seen Lusitano or Realist around and there's no info online I can find.
I haven't heard anything since the judge sent the animals back to that hell, and the criminal case date has come and gone.
I sent my thank you to the baliff, didn't see an email to the judge. But I really felt like a flood of positive emails will help him continue to fight for the weaker members of society!
Erg, 'On an asshat'
Although I wouldn't mind calling him an ass twice.
Finally someone does something good! Perhaps this will set a precedent. In my county, you still get little to no punishment for this sort of thing. There were kids lighting cats on fire and they got off with nothing - 10 hours community service or something. That's just depressing.
Good work and much thanks to all who helped accomplish this!
...they were hoarding other animals at their place of residence in a TRAILER PARK. 15 starving dogs in crates, 7 cats, pigs (yes pigs), ducks, chickens, hamsters, rabbits and dozens of parrots and other birds...
Yuck, sounds like an episode of Animal cops. It is so clear to me that hoarding like that is a mental illness and should be treated. Glad to hear they are being locked up. I hope they get a prescription for something and some one to monitor them when they get out, so it doesn't happen again.
This is great news Fugly! I wish sentences were as harsh up her in Canada. Heck, you could kill a human up her and get away will less jail time. Uhg, and they wonder why our society is going down the shitter!
Good for the people in the US justice system for actually opening their eyes and realizing that cruelty to animals should be punished!
GREAT news!!! :D
I, too, think that hoarding is one of those wack mental illnesses related to addiction and/or anorexia stuff, where people's thought processes are SO fucked up, they can't SEE what's obvious to normal people.
Also, though it's tempting to make blanket "redneck" statements, and a LOT of these folks seem to fall into that broad category, I'd prefer not to make those snap judgment calls.
For example, my sister & I were talking about the fringe-living, cash-economy, rural-poor, off the gov't radar screen people. There are a hell of a lot more than you'd think, by the way.
Anyway, as I've posted before, she's a vet tech at a state-of-the-art (for around here) clinic, situated in a small town, and she mentioned that EVERY DAY they see "those people" scare up cash money for expensive treatments for their obviously-loved pets, even if their trucks are held together with duct tape and Bondo.
Unfortunately, a lot of the animal-abusing scum who get publicity are simply unable to afford lawyers to shield them, or lack the power in the community to threaten their accusers, unlike well-off animal-abusing scum.
Wow, I'm all indignant today!
But... HUGE props to the folks who pulled together on this case!!!
It is nice to see that there are places where this harsh of punishment can be given. I volunteer at a horse rescue in Indiana (www.indianahorserescue.com) that took in over 100 horses from the same man. He was charged with animal abuse and neglect and went to court. He pleaded guilty to 50 counts of animal abuse. His punishment? 4 months of house arrest and 1 year of probation in which he can't own animals. While not punishment a lot of people would have liked to see, with current Indiana laws and his taking a plea agreement, this is still a considerable punishment. There is a link to a video of a mare he had on the property that he would have used for breeding, if only she could have stood long enough. She was euthanized shortly after the video was taken. We still have horses that were seized from him, and we are still seeing problems in them from his horrible treatment, a year and a half later. Some of them had to be put down because, as was found out in a necropsy, their intestinal tracts had deteriorated because of the lack of food. And even though he had no money to feed these horses and they were in rough shape, he still thought he could get $10,000 for his horses and wouldn't sell them to anyone. He had over 100 horses on the property, some in pastures held up by corner posts that were branches from trees, others were in stalls with a foot and a half of manure. Some horses needed ramps in order to get them out of the stalls.
What I'm trying to say is that I'm really glad that law enforcement is finally stepping up to the plate and charging people for their treatment of animals. The president of Animal Protection Coalition made a good connection in his statement to the court against Richard Stallings. Animal abuse just leads to people abuse.His statement can be seen here (http://www.indianahorserescue.com/Court%20hearing/Hearing%20Statement.pdf)
Mare with twisted legs.
(http://www.ihrsouthwest.com/Gibson%20County/Videos/TwistedLegMareWalking.mov)
I also remember when animal abuse never was prosecuted. I also remember when people actually beat their spouses and children and weren't prosecuted either. I think we're coming along slowly. I also think that that animal abuse has been linked to human abuse and is now a "heads up" when these subjects are apprehended.
Charise Demao is an advocate of horses. She does wonderful work around the country making sure that people who abuse horses (or other animals) are brought to justice. She helped us out with Mary who had the 17 neglected horses in Wisconsin get the help they needed (also posted on Fugly)! She is getting together stories about neglect and abuse at auctions. She is already in contact with the people that are involved with the SugarCreek auction. Please read the email from her below. her email address is cdemao@parallax.ws
Project Shake-Up
Have you ever been to a livestock auction and had a horrible experience?If you have -we invite you to join equine advocates all over America in Project Shake-Up.Here is what it is about:
You send out your story (complete with graphic photos/if you have them)of your worst experience of equine neglect/abuse while at a livestock auction.You can also participate if you have been involved in helping a friend who had such an experience first hand even if you did not.There are many advocates that have turned to their friends for assistance in trying to get law enforcement/A/C to these auctions to enforce the law.Because of such involvement -you will have a story to tell,too.We are trying to get national media attention to expose the greedy,non-compassionate,and neglectful auction dealers.We want to really put the heat on them to stop all this constant equine neglect/abuse.We have been getting so many stories this past year on auction dealers selling horses that were dying,injured,starving,etcThe conditions for these animals are absolutely abominable!Stories like empty water troughs,no food provided,knee deep in manure,horses sitting out in direct 90 degree heat for weeks at a time,handlers whipping the horses,horses crying out in severe pain w/ broken limbs /left unattended.Dealers selling abandoned horses w/out paperwork.We wonder how many of those horses may have been stolen.No medical attention is ever administered.There are vets at some auctions there for Coggins that just turn their back on all the abuse and look the other way.Dealers hauling horses across state lines w/out coggins/health papers.Animal control officers won't even bother to come out and help,etc The list goes on and on..........................................
Well,now is a chance for all of us as advocates of the horse to strike back!On Friday November 7th ( lucky#7)-advocates everywhere will be emailing their most horrible livestock auction experience to all 3 media news networks.We are hoping to totally bombard the national media-convincing them that there is a real crisis going on in this country with what auction dealers are allowing at their venues all across America.If enough advocates will take the time to do this -we think that even if they don't do an immediate story that it might at least peak their curiosity.That may produce a story at a later time.We invite all equine advocates everywhere to post this on your blogs,websites,forums,etc.Send this message out to anyone who might want to participate.We need everyone to have a chance at success.
All you have to do to participate is on Friday,November 7th - email in a word document your story/photos to :
Dateline NBC: dateline@nbcuni.com
ABC NIGHTLINE: nightline@abcnews.com
60Minutes: 60m@cbsnews.com
I also remember when animal abuse never was prosecuted. I also remember when people actually beat their spouses and children and weren't prosecuted either. I think we're coming along slowly. I also think that that animal abuse has been linked to human abuse and is now a "heads up" when these subjects are apprehended.
Every jurisdiction handles these situations differently. I've had people call me (I write a horse column for the daily paper) about horses that are starving, telling me that they called Animal Control and been told no one can check on the animals or that someone has checked and the "horses looked fine." I've gone by the horses and they didn't look fine to me, but the Authority Has Spoken.
Some of the AC officers I've dealt with are wearing a uniform and have a code book and a citation pad and think they are "all that" and prefer not to get out where they might get their shoes dirty.
Others are a little over-zealous and aren't applying the rules fairly to all.
I'm glad that the situation you reported here is being handled by someone who obviously cares about those that are the least able to help themselves.
If anyone has pics of that sick foal on the pavement, featured here, that was at one of the auctions, they should send it in. I will NEVER get that picture out of my mind. I think they were dumped by some woman, Arabians maybe?
I found this ad on Craigslist. What in the world is on the ground next to the horse? Is it just a bad picture?
http://louisville.craigslist.org/grd/895081551.html
here's the screenshot:
http://www.jandjacres.com/Images/craigslist.bmp
To me, it kind of looks like animal remains...
Oops: Screen shot link is:
http://www.jandjacres.com/Images/Craigslist.bmp
YES!!!!!!!!!
woo hoo! Go Judge Ramsdell
This is GREAT news!!! Timely, too, because the Peter Sparks trial begin tomorrow. We'll see how things go...
Here's the story from way back in August:
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/413396.html
Supporters are highly encouraged - if you live nearby, please please please consider attending to show your support for the prosecution.
laminitisisbad@yahoo.com
Judge Ramsdell was my professional mentor while I was in law school! I always thought he was a really cool guy. I'm glad to see I was right ;-)
Off to write a note on his website.
Great news about the jail time.
I'd still like to know what happened in the Tony Meyers case in Louisiana. He's the jerk who beat, shot and dragged a poor mare half to death. Any news?
Well in the world of bad news about all of the starving horses in the world. We Fuglies now have to more advocates to fight the evil rat bastards the make us real horse professionals sick.
Lillian and Vivian Rotten arrived on 24-Oct-2008. They came into the world screaming like two cats fighting.
Ofcourse they were a little late as the stork hit some weather over the Chicago area, and then he lost their luggage in St. Louis. But all is fine!
So watch out all of you asshats of the world. There are two little red heads that are going to have a lot to say to you! My advise to you bad peole......treat your horse well and use a little common sense!
Hi Fugs: Below is an e-mail from a woman who had her horse for almost 43 years. I thought I would pass her e-mail along to you. I have the picts but didn't know how to show them. Anyway, there are people out there, like me and others on this blog, who own horses for life...(There some religious but here it's in a good way.)
E-mail from Chris:
To My Dear Family & Friends . . .
Over this past weekend on Saturday, October 25, 2008, my mare of 43
years, Miss Dakota Leo was humanely put down after suffering from what
we believe was a seizure. I've thought all weekend about what I
wanted to share in this email to all of you who either knew her or at
least knew of her through my many stories and close calls of nearly
losing her over the past few years. Like the story of how I received
her as a Christmas gift from my parents after spending the summer
'breaking her' for some neighbors. I could tell you of the 100's of
people she has taught how to ride. I could tell you of the little
escape artist she was as a 2 year old, always getting out of the
neighbors pasture to find her standing in the road on my trips home
from work late at night. Sharing the escapades that my girlfriends
Shanna, Rhonda, and I got into while growing up near McPherson, KS,
and riding around the countryside on horseback. I could share the
fact that had she been born with an odometer that the dang thing would
have turned over at least 2 times while logging 1000's of miles on her
back. The inquiries from neighbors and friends who often asked if she
knew how to walk or trot considering that she and I pretty much
cantered or ran everywhere we went (I was always in a hurry). The
comments from people who used to watch as we climbed every tall hill
we rode near (especially those out in Medicine Lodge, KS), she would
go anywhere I pointed her toward no matter how steep it was. There
are so many things I could share with you in this email. But instead
I would like to tell you of this 43 year journey, of the bond that was
created when this beautiful horse came into my life, and how NO MATTER
WHAT, I made sure that she ate when oftentimes I went without.
Yes, you're right, I could go on and on, but I want to leave you with
this thought. If you have horses, or you know of others who have
horses. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for the TRUE horse lovers of the
world. The people who purchase their horses with the intent of
keeping them for the entirety of the horse's life. Rather than using
them for their needs then growing tired of them and casting them
aside. God places horses into the lives of people for a reason, so
that the horse can serve them, and so that as their caregivers we can
love and care for them, and in return find out what unconditional love
really means.
If hardships befall you . . . do the right thing and work hard to
place your horse(s) with responsible people who will love and care for
your animals with the same interest you have for them. These animals
depend on us! And finally, if you are considering purchasing a horse,
educate yourself FIRST, and know exactly what you are getting yourself
into. Offer to volunteer at a local rescue such as Hope In The Valley
Horse Rescue and Sanctuary in Valley Center, KS.
(hitveras@gmail.com). They would love to show you what loving a horse
can do for your soul!
Now to close here are a few photos of Dakota through the years. She
was a joy to have in our lives . . . we never owned her, she owned
US! And in closing I just have to say a special thank you to my
parents Gial & Marge Kaegi who recognized years ago that a little girl
really did have a true yearning to own a horse and not just a passing
fad (I'm sure you two never thought that this love story would last
for more than 4 decades). Thank you for loving me so much that you
bought this lifelong gift for me. To my girlfriend Shanna, who as it
happens, was the one my parents bought Dakota from (she and her
parents Niles & Betty Gibson) all those many years ago. AND, who was
also the one who 'borrowed' Dakota to be a pasturemate to her mare,
and over time became the primary caregiver of her during her geriatric
years. To Dakota's favorite veterinarian, Dr. Greg Seiler for the
excellent care he took of her as her vet (and to his partner Chad who
was there for her at the end). To the 1000's of people who have
learned from her and enjoyed special moments with her through the
years. And last but certainly not least, to Christ Jesus who blessed
me and enriched my life by placing this wonderful horse into my life.
She was a wonderful teacher, friend and soul mate, and she will be
greatly missed!
Miss Dakota Leo 1965 - 2008 (They say it's not the beginning date or
the ending date that is important in our lives, but rather the line
between the two!)
Chris Kaegi-Stephens
11220 N. Rock Road
Valley Center, KS 67147
Thanks to EVERYONE who helps in these situations... Those fat ass bitches have NO problem stuffing their fat face now do they??? Ahhh sweet justice though... one step at a time :)
www.ihateyourhorse.blogspot.com
JR Congratulations to the proud Papa!!! I am sure they are beautiful! Hello and congrats to CNJ as well . Looking forward to hearing more from both of you
June Evers
Beautiful.
It's very rewarding to see people like that see what it's like to be behind bars and be completely dependant upon someone to bring them what they need.
I wish a few days a month the authorities were allowed withhold food or a change of clothes from them so they could FEEL ever so slightly how their animals felt starving to death. A day or so without food or a change of clothes would be nothing compared to what they did - but they *might* get the idea.
I often wish justice was a tad more eye for an eye.
Congrats johnierotten! What a tremendous blessing!
It's very encouraging to see these asshat abusers/hoarders get successfully prosecuted.
WTG Judge Ramsdell!
I know this is off the subject, but remember Peggie Sue, the filly who had half her leg amputated and her owner was trying to raise the $15,000 for the surgery? Well, apparantly she raised the money to get her to Wyoming, but now she is raffling off a 2 year old unbroke stud pony (not registered or ever shown to my knowledge). She doesn't need to be selling off her other horses to "pay" for a surgery that apparantly everybody else donated. It really is a sad story, but it should have never gotten this far. There are so many others that need saving that actually have a chance to be horses.
>>It must work some of the time. I mean, I just heard of some guys picking up six OTTB mares and now they are shocked because they did not realize they were going to be that expensive to feed.<<
Update: One is a six-figure-earning Alysheba daughter. Yes, I'm getting more info and pictures. They are not in any immediate danger but they will need an upgrade.
Just put my letter to Judge Ramsdell in the mail. I would love to see the US government make the punishment more severe for the entire country. Including the entities outside the 50 states.
Each one should spend time in jail and pay the fees for their animal's care/recovery. AND not be allowed to EVER own one again.
Congrats to the person with the new twins, hope you are all rested up, since you won't be getting much sleep for a while! LOL
autumnblaze, there was a story a while back about a judge sentencing a woman to bread and water for a period of time and he required that pictures of the horses she starved be pasted up in her cell so she had to look at them every day. Love it.
horsepoor - THAT is an awesome judge.
Judgements should be made like that more often if, you ask me. Unfortunately for me no one really does. :-)
Congrats JR & CNJ!
on the topic of justice - maybe someone in the area has more info?
Suspected Horse Killer Charged
Woman charged with killing horse of ex-boyfriend.
By Jim Faherty
Friday, October 24, 2008
A woman is accused of shooting two horses, killing one, because she was mad at her ex-boyfriend. Police in Odenville say 29-year-old Rachel Hill of Moody, Alabama is charged with charged with animal cruelty, and other crimes. Investigators say the woman is accused of killing the horse of her former boyfriend with a gunshot to the head. A horse owned by the man's mother was shot and severely injured. She was ordered held on $7,000 bond.
Congratulations JR & CNJ!
Two. Redhead. Girls.
I see some fun times ahead for JR.
Pictures?
Planetlisa wrote:
Where I could find a list of the people that killed horses for insurance $$ a while back? Specifically in the Chicago area.
There was a very famous case involving Helen Vorhees Brach, heiress to the Brach candy fortune.
http://www.angelfire.com/sc/Centner/CandyLady.html
Wikipedia has a whole entry on the topic - who knew?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_murders
Just type 'insurance fraud, horse' into a search box and you will get a ton of hits.
CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS to CNJ and JR!
What beautiful names!
You must be so proud!
Wahoo! Good subject!
I go to court this
Thurdsay on some of my rescue horses and I hope the judge THROWS THE BOOK AT THE BITCH! I'm so excited!
I too am tired of seeing those who abuse others (two- and four-legged alike, makes no difference to me) sitting in a jail cell with television and three squares a day, clothes provided for them, and a bunch of other perks.
My thought is to make the prisons self-supporting. The inmates are out working in the fields, growing their own food. They opt not to work, they don't eat. Plain and simple. Joe Arpaijo (sp) in Arizona has absolutely the right idea. Make it so unpleasant for the prisoners they want to serve their time, get out and NEVER do anything to get sent there again.
It would certainly make for more self-sufficient people in this world. They would have worked for, maybe, the first time in their lives and lived without having some form of assistance to fall back on.
We need more self-reliance in this country and I am sick and tired of seeing my tax dollars going to support crooks who come out of prison muscled up and fit because they were lifting weights while serving time instead of working in the fields to grow their own food.
Guess what - I'm so pleased! I just sent a short and sincere thank-you note to Judge Ramsdell in the Elledge case, via e-mail to his Bailiff, Kenya Hart. She replied IMMEDIATELY and said she'd make sure he receives my letter! Wow, they are really on the ball there. I hope the other court will throw the book at Elledge, too, aka "Ms. I Somehow Failed To Notice the Dead Horse Outside My Door." That case has always really stuck in my craw so I am VERY HAPPY indeed, that she's eating slop these days with a spork!
Hearing about a sympathetic judge and some real justice for a change makes it worth it to go on banging your head against the wall. Thanks for the good news Fugly.
P.S. Congratulations JR and CNJ. I love those names!!! Hope all is well with babies and mama. Rest up dad... you're gonna need it!! :)
On the Sandman insurance fraud horse murders:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=munson_lester&id=3533725
Quote: "Good God! John Edwards was having sex with the daughter of the guy who taught Tommy Burns how to kill horses by electrocuting them!"
*sigh* I used to like John Edwards.
These types of people piss me off. How in the fuck can you not see an animals ribs and spine. Oh wait, 'she's old'? What in the hell is wrong with you? I know a 28 year old arab that is more pleasantly plump than most horses!About time judges start taking a stand against animal abusers. Make. Her. Pay. Anyone else up for starving the bitch? I mean really, your trying to figure out where you went wrong. Gee, lets see, for 1 not providing enough good hay and grain (and senior horse feed as well). You did these than maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't be skinny, and wouldn't have had to be put down. Your sooooooo lucky their are human rights or else I would starve you and see how much you like it. No. Mercy. For. Animal. Abusers.
Also fugly I have a wonderful idea. You know how you created that web site for breeders that would take back or rehome their horses they bred. You should create a web site w/ pictures, for all the people out there who would unsuspectingly buy or do buisness w/ people that have a history of animal abuse/neglect. These are the people we don't want to give money to
Isn't it something that so many hoarders and abusers are the opposite of starving?? For real, so many of them are fat. Hoarders need help, as much as their animals because they have a serious mental condition, but abusers need swift, costly penalties. By the way, has anyone contacted some of the BIG BIG breeders to see if they want to be on the website...places like BABCOCK FARMS?? I'd love to see if they would step up to the plate.
Glad to hear that this lady was put away. Too bad it isn't longer, but what can you do? Like you said, animal cruelty is just a slap on the wrists, and I think it needs to be a highly punishable offense. IMO, theres no difference between a 35year old man kicking a five-year-old child and a 35 year old man kicking a dog. It just disgusts me, and Elledge is definitely a stupid bitch. Hell, if you can't SEE the dead horse, wouldn't you be able to at least SMELL 800 pounds of decaying animal?
Dog-Gone Fugly [readers, we need you!]
tbdancer...I TOTALLY agree with you! I saw a piece on 60 minutes awhile back about a prison that grew its own food and for lunch the inmates got a piece of fruit, a carton of milk and a nice meat sandwich (totally nutritional) and the civil rights crowd went berserk, saying that these prisoners were receiving cruel and unusual punishment...and the system was saving 10's of thousands a year on their food budget. They took so much heat and were dragged through the justice system and forced to change their menu. What is wrong with this country????
Congrats JR & Cut!
Two redheads. Hah! Both my brothers are redheads. BEWARE. Redheads are sneaky & opinionated. lmao. (Hey, not like we don't have examples, check out the blog).
Everybody healthy? Cut good?
Cattypex, who is John Edwards? The talk to the dead guy?
The problem with this country is that so many Americans are drawn to extremes anymore.
So... you either get horrific chain gangs that SHOULD be illegal, or you get prisoners hanging out and networking and developing byzantine social structures and beating the shit out of each other to resolve aggression.
I see nothing wrong with prisons' farming their own food, so long as it's done sanely and systematically, with extensive documentation to CYA, since a lot of criminals become criminals through an overblown sense of entitlement, and I think that particular breed of criminal would be the most vocal about mistreatment, real or perceived.
Wasn't there a prison somewhere out west that became famous for its beautiful woven horsehair goods?
horspoor said...
Cattypex, who is John Edwards?
Senator John Edwards from North Carolina. He of the expensive haircuts.
He fell from grace after a sordid affair went public.
Awesome news -I love when you post the updates. Seems like more justice is being served these days as animal abuse is starting to be taken seriously as a crime.
Congrats C&J & JR!!!! Holy moly -of course you have 2 red headed twins... watch out indeed!!!
LOL...I knew that. omg...talk about brain fade. All I could think of was the dead communicator guy.
Dear CutNJump and Johnnie Rotten:
Congratulations on the birth of your no-doubt beautiful daughters. Now the adventure of being the partents of twins begins! I wish you all the best as a fellow mother of twins and remember:
Enjoy those children to the fullest!
(And - another famous twin mom saying, passed on to me: "No blood, no problem"
Hugs,
MHQ
Thanks for the great news. I've been firing off e-mails up here in the capital of horse slaughter, and forwarding them on to friends.
If wishes were horses..
Keep squeaking, wheels!
I'm so glad to see things like this coming forward & being dealt w/ the way they should. It's about time. We all hope that ppl get what they deserve but it's so hard sometimes to make it happen. Some of us research & put forth so much effort to see alot go by the wayside, if only there were more ppl like this judge in every state.
I can only pray that what I & several others have been working so hardly on come together for the final note of glory that there is a judge like that sitting at the bench. There have been somethings productive come into play but oh how true on the wheels of justice turning slowly.
But w/ each conviction that comes along I would like to believe it will finally take some notice as to there is a big problem & bring forward some harsh rules to follow by.
This type of success stories is what gives hope for ppl to continue to put forth the info needed to stop the stupid shit ppl do & not turn the other cheek. For it is not just gonna go away on its own!
http://theicequeen.yuku.com/forums/59
Crossed Sabers/SWAP & Celeita Kramer (please any other info I may have missed I would appreciate)
SEVENTY FOURTH COMMENT!!!!!
YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
That's all:)
www.trialsofahorsegirl.blogspot.com
My daughter has been reading your blog and unfortunately bought into your gang member type activity.
With great concern and reflection, I have banned her from your blog. I am in contact with several parents now to see if their children have been brainwashed into following along with your twisted take on how to deal with animal abusers.
I taught my children how to deal with people they disagree with in an orderly manner. You are perpetuating hate and anger on your blog. The momentum you build when you are on a scent is going to get some of these kids in trouble.
This is a virtual world and when your hate hunts end, someone is going actually face the music in the real world. Not my child. Not on my shift! I have had her contact every guest book you sent her to with an apology and with some positive information about horse keeping. She did receive a thank you from 2 out of the 3 people she was sent to as a direct result of your hate blog. She learned a good lesson. She learned that people do not respond to name calling and cyber judging. The ones who wrote back simply asked for more information on horse care, horse health and training techniques. With a kind hand, some of these people can be better keepers of horses.
My child has never attacked anyone about horses until she read your blog. She has always been a helpful teacher about horse care. She took cues from professional horse keepers and has been around our horses her entire life. Lady, you have too much power and influence over the impressionable kids who read your blog. My child went from a helpful concerned horse lover to a mindless follower within just a few short days until I put this to a screeching hault.
You are getting gratification off the hunt and not from the purpose you claim- that of helping horses.
Cyber bullying is at an all time high today and you are a perfect example of it. You are a cyber bully! There are better ways of dealing with uneducated horse owners than making fun of their children, calling names, chasing them around the internet and getting total strangers from a blog to harrass them.
Your blog isn't really about helping horses, it is about gathering people to public hangings and nothing more.
If you run a blog (especially one that relates to subject matter as heartbreaking as horse abuse) you need to make sure you don't lead readers into a situation that can easily get youth in trouble. You are the adult here. You solicited young girls and they follow you from site to site with your words, your emotions and your hate. Read the comment pages. Obviously they are filled with kids.Impressionable kids! These kids are so young they don't even know the complete significance of animal abuse. Inform them about animal abuse, don't form gangs! They are just a bunch of little kids following the piper and nothing more. A very irresponsible piper at best! They become more brave and more hurtful with their words as they travel from site to site. It is just simply not the way to teach children to deal with animal abusers.
You could write about animal abuse without all the nasty hateful momentum building anger. These guest books you send your impressionable young readers to could be full of informative information instead of horrific language, name calling, character assassinating and plain old hate. You are responsible. You started the blog. You set the pace for these kids.
I have spent the last few days going over old posts from your blog. I have seen your irresponsible and immature language. I have read blogs with the most disgusting vulgar language used by an ADULT-YOU. How is a parent supposed to take you serious when 90% of your articles are about how much that peron weighs or what that person wears or what lifestyle that person leads or what type of job that person has? Only a small amount of the articles are about helping the horse.
You are a very poor example for youth. You are a poor example of someone who is supposed to be rescueing horses. If anything, you should be telling the kids to give information to those who abuse animals, not waste your time cyber bullying.
I see that you must spend hours and days on your blog. What would be wrong with sending informational pages to the horse people explaining about gelding stallions and breeding practices?
I am offended at your language and how you picked on people. The Amish and the way they live is their choice. I am offended that you would take an issue of being Amish and perpetuate hate with a bunch of young impressionable kids who frequent your blog. It is irresponsible of you.
Kids are too immpressionalbe to be led by someone with your attitude. Have you ever heard of "It takes a village to raise a child?" Would you appreciate someone teaching your child to go on hate filled cyber hunts without you having anything to say about what kind of trash your child is being filled with? Your blog is definately NOT about helping horses.
Our rescues here would not go about it the way you do and I disagree with the cyber hunt momentom you get these young kids going on. You literally "summons" them and they follow like rats to cheese.
You are the adult. You chose to start a blog. You and you alone need to be responsible for the actions these young kids will buy into.
"this is an exciting time if you look at it the right way" you write in your blog. In other words "if I brainwashed you well enough to go on a cyber hunt with me." I think you are caught up in the excitement.
Yes, there is a "right way" and the way you are doing it is not the right way. I think you are power hungry and know your followers will jump from site to site assassinating people. The way you treat people is wrong.
Yes it is great to see animal abuse dealt with by our judical system. Not the way you are doing it. I am not going to write to judge Ramsdell to compliment him on his judgement of the horse abuser (which by the way is a score on every recue's card.) I am going to write to him with my concerns about a blogger gone wild! A blogger who is a control freak and is using readers to harrass and torement people.
Your personal attacks and comments about people's clothes or religion or way of life or parenting is none of your concern and your blog is nothing but a place for kids to learn unhealthy behavior.
I suggest you stay on subject matter. I suggest you know and understand that there are kids on your blog and take responsibility for what you are perpetuating. I suggest you grow up.
If you want to be crowned Ms. Horse Rescuer of the Year, then do it with dignity, respect and honor or not at all.
Your blog is unhealthy and harmful for young impressionable children to be reading. I am glad I caught my child before she joined in with anymore of what you are doing.
I suspect you are going to be hearing from some concerned parents about all of this. I suspect you will find there are people who don't think you are funny or cute with your name calling immature rediculous behavior. I suspect you will be called on the carpet. It's easy to act the way you do behind a computer screen, but when you are getting young kids to behave like a crazed cyber mob, it just needs to stop.
You are a person who would think nailing a gay person to a fencepost is okay because the "mob" says so! You must have been the person who stood aside while a "mob" harmed a fellow human being because of his race. You are the same person who would judge a child because his parents are not the same religion as you.
You are a perfect example of bad collective thinking and the people reading your blog need to stand up as individuals and say "NO"-this is fundamentally wrong.
Is it really your goal to pick out people practicing poor horsemanship or is it really that you gain great satisfaction knowing that you can summon your troops and attack?
Make no mistake, you most definately need to rein in your cyber behavior and be aware of how easily people/kids can and will join in with you.Leave people alone. Don't lead young people into thinking they can go onto people's web sites with dirty language and name calling.
You are taking a good thing and making it into a bad thing.
By the way, have you read about the little 13 year old girl who committed suicide due to cyber bullying? She wasn't called half the names you call people on a daily basis. What if someone can't take the pressure you put on them chasing them around the internet? What if someone hurts someone as a result of your cyber attacks? I think a starving horse is the last thing you will be worrying about at that point.
If you want to bully people than you do it on your own and make sure adults are following you around the net, not under aged children.
Your actions reflect on all horse keepers. You are one of the few that would treat people like that. We need some good leaders in this world not people who can't control their emotions by forming cyber hunts.
Reflect on this note. You know in your heart of hearts what you do isn't good for anyone including yourself. You can't really feel good about treating people the way you do or leading others to do the same.
You are completely off subject matter with your attacks and you clearly lead young impressionable youth to do the same.
Your blog took a wonderful thing like horse rescue and turned it into a very unhealthy place for kids to hang out.
I was horrified that my child could be so easily taken in by you. I can only be thankful it was you and not some sex offender.
Kids are at risk on the internet. You are a cyber bully! I am glad I caught you before you could teach my child to be more disrepectful and harmful. Thank you very much but I don't want my child using language like F this and bitch and asshat. My God where is your mother? Now I have kicked you off my island!
Responsible parents are going to have a thing or two to say about you leading kids on your cyber hunts. You took everything I took years to instill in my child and talked her into being disrespectful and hurtful to others. She knows how to treat people even when she disagrees with them. Lesson learned. Done deal.
I wish you the best in your horse rescue endevors. I will advise my horse people friends of your site. Many of them are already of the opinion that you are a poor representative of what a horse rescue is about. The respectable rescues I am affiliated with do NOT condone your ways.
I don't think you are helping anything. I wish you would either stop your cyber bullying and if you are going to represent horse rescue, do it with honor. We don't want to have a picture painted of us that all of us act like you. Just knock it off. It's wrong.
This is put on this post comment page simply to get you to see it. Since you are too busy cyber mobbing, I thought I would put it here so you see it.
Hi all. Fugly, I love your blog. Don't want to hijack too much, but if anyone knows of a gelding in the Dallas, TX area that has ridden Western and needs fattening or other type of vet care/rescuing, let me know. I do want to ride, but only trails and stuff. I don't want overlook a horse I might be able to help!
Thanks!
andrews.katie@gmail.com
Wow I missed a lot the last day or so.
I hope your right Fugs I hope the horse world is getting better about dealing with horse abuse and neglect. Crossing all my fingers for it.
The comment about someone's child learning bad things from this blog.
UMM Responsible parents know where on the internet their children are . Nobody to blame but herself for her child's behavior but pretty clearly she would rather lash out then look in the mirror.
Wahoo! It's great to hear that great news, Fugs!
OT: to johnnierotten and CNJ, congrats on the twins!
sassysmom, you posted before I could about the parent horrified by what her daughter was reading into this blog!
Ummm, last time I checked, the internet (or television, the mall) weren't approved, designated babysitters. *rolls eyes*
mommashomenow, get a clue.
Did someone escape from the asylum and find the blog?
Please pass the popcorn.
Just a few idle remarks to the above wall of text:
"If you run a blog (especially one that relates to subject matter as heartbreaking as horse abuse) you need to make sure you don't lead readers into a situation that can easily get youth in trouble."
Why is it Fugly's problem what her followers do? I don't--or, haven't lately--seen her encouraging people to write hateful things to people featured on the blog, to raid their sites, to be hateful to them. Fugly encourages people to not ditch their horses, educate themselves, get lessons, donate to reputable rescues (and thus don't get scammed) and lately encouraging people to send a thank you note to a judge. She's not standing behind your daughter with a gun to her head saying "say nasty mean things to people on messageboards!" If your daughter decides to do this, it's not Fugly's fault--there are plenty of people on the comments of this blog who handle themselves with dignity and respect and reach out to people with helpful words rather than hateful ones. Don't judge all of Fugly's followers by the loudest ones.
"You solicited young girls and they follow you from site to site with your words, your emotions and your hate."
Fugly has done nothing of the sort. I'd argue most of her audience--and her intended audience!--is older, and at least old enough to see an odd bit of language.
"They are just a bunch of little kids following the piper and nothing more."
Then perhaps their parents should sit them down and instill the values of free thought? Think for yourself, act for yourself? The world isn't gonna shelter your daughter and others of her age forever, you know. Thanks for parenting by restricting her access to sites you find questionable, but perhaps you should've audited Fugly long before this?
'These guest books you send your impressionable young readers to could be full of informative information instead of horrific language, name calling, character assassinating and plain old hate."
Again, a lot of the time Fugly doesn't even provide links to messageboards and the like that have active topics. Most of the links are stable pages, and those often only have an email contact. Most of the boards with this such problem started this way long before Fugly, and will remain that way because of their fanbase.
"You are a very poor example for youth."
Perhaps she's not a shining star but her advice, in many cases, makes sense. The least one can do is think for themselves--you don't agree with Fugly? Great! Agree to disagree.
"I am offended that you would take an issue of being Amish"
The Amish themselves admit that there are unsavory activities within their communities--not just animal abuse, but child abuse as well! There is more to every story than just one side of comments--discover them for yourself.
"Kids are too immpressionalbe to be led by someone with your attitude."
As Fugly has said many a time with her rants--someone has to parent kids, and if you're not willing to do that, quit blaming it on other people. Fugly's blog isn't for kids exclusively. They're a secondary audience, I suspect.
"Have you ever heard of "It takes a village to raise a child?""
It may take a village, but it damn well isn't our responsibility, thank you very much. I'm childfree by choice and while I respect someone's decision to have children, I will not stand for being told that I must have a role in parenting your offspring. If you find things in the world undesireable for your child, the world is unlikely to change to make these things go away. Either you supervise your kid and teach them that things are wrong, and show them better ways to deal with things (as it seems you've done), but lashing out at someone for your child's lapse in morals and judgment... How is this Fugly's fault that your daughter follows along with the crowd?
"Would you appreciate someone teaching your child to go on hate filled cyber hunts without you having anything to say about what kind of trash your child is being filled with?"
To my understanding Fugly has no children. From reading her blog I'd also gather that Fugly would be supervising her children and thus would be damn well having a say in what "trash" her child would be "filled with". Internet supervision. Not so hard, actually.
"You and you alone need to be responsible for the actions these young kids will buy into. "
Uh... No? Whatever happened to "you do the crime, you do the time?" Why should people be afraid of being blamed for something their followers did? Such as party hosts being charged for negligence after a guest gets charged for drunk driving? When will people step up and say "My daughter was harassing people on the internet because I didn't supervise her properly and discourage hateful behaviour. I should change this in the future so my daughter knows better for the future, too, and knows it's ok to not follow the crowd." or "Oh darn, my fault, I'll not do that next time." Let's stop playing the blame game, guys.
"I am going to write to him with my concerns about a blogger gone wild!"
...Does he care? Would he care? America has free speech, and unless it's libel, slander, or particularly hateful (even then, I think American law is a bit wishy-washy on that bit) then it's not really a big deal. You're terribly concerned about content, a real-life judge isn't gonna help you. Talk to the host instead, eh? I fail to see why you've turned a celebratory gesture--"congratulate a guy who's made a landmark victory on horse abuse by actually punishing someone!"--into an attack against a blog you don't like?
"Your personal attacks and comments about people's clothes or religion or way of life or parenting is none of your concern and your blog is nothing but a place for kids to learn unhealthy behavior"
Then keep kids off the blog and don't read it...? It may be none of her concern but she's enlightening many on issues that exist within the horse world--not as nice and sugar-coaty as you'd like, obviously--but her presentation gets attention. Sensationalism makes points. Again, this blog is not a babysitter, please, for the love of all that is horsey, stop making it out to be. It's the internet. It shouldn't be parenting your child, because STUFF LIKE THIS EXISTS. It's not always rainbows and unicorns and fluffy panda bears, ok? It's opinions. By adults. For adult audiences. And some kids, who read it too.
"If you want to be crowned Ms. Horse Rescuer of the Year"
I doubt that's Fugly's goal...? You're sort of making all sorts of baseless assumptions (as am I, I admit, in my response--sorry Fugly).
"Your blog is unhealthy and harmful for young impressionable children to be reading."
Yay save the children! Save them from other peoples' opinions!
"I am glad I caught my child before she joined in with anymore of what you are doing. "
Perhaps you should have caught her before it happened and talked to her then...? Used this as a learning opportunity rather than a "blame someone because my supervisory skills were lacking"?
"You are a person who would think nailing a gay person to a fencepost is okay because the "mob" says so! You must have been the person who stood aside while a "mob" harmed a fellow human being because of his race. You are the same person who would judge a child because his parents are not the same religion as you."
Holy smokes on a waffle cone, batman, those are some mighty allegations you're wielding here. Fugly isn't the paragon of tolerance towards assholes but she certainly isn't the antichrist either. Is that what you want to teach your children? To make gross assumptions about people? To class them with hatemongers? Heck, I get the impression that Fugly is more tolerant to other classes, races, and religions than most people she features on this blog.
Do we have to invoke Godwin on this one? Please don't make the comments invoke Godwin.
"By the way, have you read about the little 13 year old girl who committed suicide due to cyber bullying?"
Different story entirely there. Fugly isn't trying to pose as a kid's boyfriend and then tell her all sorts of lies to break her heart and hurt her, you know
The minute you let words affect you on a personal level, you start defining yourself by what others say about you. That's not good for your self-esteem, you know? You might want to teach that words are just words, and while they may hurt a bit, they're easily brushed aside.
"I was horrified that my child could be so easily taken in by you. I can only be thankful it was you and not some sex offender."
Supervision. Not so hard. Please do it.
"You took everything I took years to instill in my child and talked her into being disrespectful and hurtful to others."
Needs more teaching and reinforcing. Fugly has provided you a valuable learning experience. :D
'Nuff said.
Bai. :D
I have not decided yet if Cathy will waste her time replying to that post or that she will not "feed the troll"
I am on the fence as to how much response it should get.
THAT MADE MY DAY! Let them rot... Dean Dean Dean... there's no Photoshop in priiisssssooonnn~!
HAH.
mommashomenow, it is ridiculous not rediculous. I have no problem with typos because god knows they happen, but that is a real lack of proof reading or knowledge of the English language, the i and the e aren't even close to one another on the keyboard. I am surprised for someone so uptight about this site and what their daughter is doing (you did let her get here in the first place) that you wouldn’t be completely meticulous and OCD about spelling.
By the way, I don't know how many kids read this blog, but I doubt very many of them would have the balls to contact one of the featured people and say anything very rude, if they did then you didn't do a very good job instilling proper behavior in the first place so there wasn't much for fugly to undo.
mommashomenow:
Uhm... this blog is committed to helping horses? Do you know how many horses' lives have been saved as a result of this blog?
It's your own fault your child is reading this in the first place, there's something called parental supervision, and it's your own choice to ban her from it but...
You're complaining about cyber bullying. And you just came in here and insulted us all, acted blindly and judgementally and jumped to many conclusions. And that, my friend, is what you were preaching against.
Let me ask you this... hypothetically, if you ever caught your daughter stealing, would you say "oh no dear, you aren't supposed to do that!" or would you ground her and make her regret stealing something?
Even if you look at something closer... you caught her on this blog and banned her from it and made her send e-mails.
Well that's how we want to deal with these people too. They KILLED horses. They STARVED them, caused them extreme pain and terror and for many a lingering, excruciating death. We're not going to say to them, "now now, that's not how you treat horses!" We want them to REGRET what they've done.
And someone who is heartless enough to do that to an animal needs some harsh punishment to get it through their skulls.
At any rate, I'm just sad that you jumped to so many conclusions and acted so rashly whilst preaching the exact opposite. Hypocrites grind my gears.
OH.. I'm so happy to hear the twins are here safely! Mucho congrats JR and CNJ!! And both red heads... *chuckle* (spoken by a fellow red head)
Wow, mommasahomenow, if you have the time to write such a long diatribe about the evils of Fugly, you have the time to monitor what your daughter reads on the internet and provide guidance yourself. It's Fugly's blog.. she can write what she wants! It's not her job to monitor everyone's children on the net.. it is YOURS to be responsible for your own. If this blog is the worst in the world that your daughter sees and follows, count yourself EXTREMELY LUCKY some asshole weirdo 50 yr old child molestor isn't meeting her at the mall right now!
PS: this is not a blog for children. There are little to know children on here, a little more teenagers and many more young adults, moving into people in their 30s+.
Use parental discretion!
eskjfhkds;jghdsfkj;ghdfskjghdfg and I forgot to say CONGRATS ABOUT THE TWINS! I've been away for so long I completely forgot! eek!
And I'm not convinced that diatribe was written by a real mom anyway.. but perhaps our "favorite" troll taking a different approach?
Just had a thought
I grew up watching Looney Toon Cartoons
Bugs, Daffy , Roadrunner and Coyote, Porky Pig Yosemite Sam etc.
Somehow I had the ability to know it was not ok to act like that. I never shot anyone in the face. Never dropped an anvil on anyone's head. Amazing what good judgement can do.
They pulled those cartoons because people felt they were too violent. Odd really considering they are cartoon animals and not real. The local and national news is on everday and several times a day with way more violent and horrible real behavior. I have heard of or never read one story about anyone actually doing something because they saw it in a cartoon. Not to mention, where would a child buy anvils and dyanamite sticks from ?
If I had given someone a lit dynamite stick insted of a cigar. I seriously doubt my Mom would have been writing to Mel Brooks or Warner Bros about it.
How very odd someone thinks the internet and a blog of all things needs to be G rated because their children are on it. The internet is full of far more scary and dangerous things for children to be clicking on . I wonder what else her child has been up to.
"hypothetically, if you ever caught your daughter stealing, would you say "oh no dear, you aren't supposed to do that!" or would you ground her and make her regret stealing something?"
On that note, would you tell the shop owner "You shouldn't have made it so tempting to steal!" because that's what you're doing right now to Fugly.
For that matter, the Fugly blog isn't all evil. It's rescued a number of horses, got people to donate to legitimate rescues, outed a number of others, got people who were abusing horses their just desserts, and has educated people on various issues, while still being entertaining.
It's affecting people--yes, even kids--in positive ways just as much as it may affect them in negative ways.
An ex-mod of Howrse, a game that has been mentioned on here, would occasionally refer to Fugly as she quested to get misleading anti-slaughter banners off of Howrse, and encourage children to volunteer and donate to their local rescues and humane societies. Can't tell me that Fugly's blog, which helped raise awareness of horse abuse and slaughter and the problem with breeding animals, doesn't have underlying merit...
mommashomenow
Perhaps you should of been home before now.
I have never posted here before, but have been reading for awhile now.
I too have kids, two teenagers. I know every web site and blog they go on. I also know how to check and see where they've been online. And believe me, I do check.
But it is just beyond me how you can come here and write what you did. You actually blamed Fugly for alot, and that just amazes me. I think I can honestly say that Fugly is NOT raising your daughter, that is supposed to be YOUR job. One that you slipped up on when not checking to see what she does online. To be able to read all of this blog would take many, many hours. Where were you for those many, many hours?
I don't know Fugly personally. Maybe some day our paths will cross, who knows. What I do know is that Fugly has probably forgotten more than I will ever know about horses. I can't even imagine the abuses and horrors she has seen and dealt with, not to mention the people causing the abuse. No one should see them, but that isn't reality. The reality is that she has seen and dealt with them, and decided to do something about it. And I for one am glad she is here....Yes there is harsh language at times, but alot of the stories are harsh.
If you don't like the blog, then by all means, don't read here. But to come here and blame her for your failings is just wrong......in so many ways!
Chief was the horse left at her friend farms to die. I would like to correct she is not a friend. Cheif needed to be put down the day he stepped onto to our farm. They rented our barn for horses. That is another story. Chief was blind in one eye and his good eye was weeping. He continued to go down hill, loose weight,etc. He could not find his food. He had infections in both eyes. This was obvious to any green horn. I would wipe his eyes daily. Along with another friend of mine we would tell her she need to call a vet. She would acknowledge this but knew they would tell her to put him down and it was her sons horse and he did not want to do that. He also rode him in this condition. The weather turned cold and Chief no longer could endure the pain. He was now blind, thin like Ruby and I could no longer take this. His owners had an appointment and instructed us to watch him and if he worsened to put him down and not tell her son. He was down and they left we put Chief out of his misery we then buried his remains on our property. Thank you to Thank whoever turned these people in. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you and all the animals thank you too.
OT news article from horsetalk.co.nz
Phoenix looks to ban horse-tripping
October 25, 2008
Horse-tripping may soon be illegal in the US state of Arizona. City councillors in Phoenix will soon vote to jail or fine those involved in the "sport", which animal welfare groups compare to dog or cockfight.
There are three rodeo events which involve tripping: roping the horse's hind legs, tripping the horse while on foot, and tripping the horse while on horseback. Horses can break their legs and necks, and suffer other serious injuries when tripped.
Hey at least this lady admitted her horse has bad "confirmation". heh.
Craigslist link
Would anyone care to count how many times "mommashomenow" uses the word cyber bullying? Wow. Here's an easy suggestion. Instead of complaining about readers of this openly commented blog, why don't you simply get rid of your internet altogether?
For one thing I'd like to hope the "youth" on the Internet would have the common sense to tell the difference between angry/exasperated comments on an abuser and more insightful ones. The wonderful thing about this blog and its comments is that it is for the most part unmoderated. Fugly didn't even delete *your* long-winded post. Pay more attention to what your child's actually doing online and stop pestering the rest of us. If you want someone to lead your personal mother-with-a-cause blaming-fest, look no further than a mirror.
Cheers.
Wow, that was quite a wordy diatribe by the suddenly-responsible mom. Wonder what her daughter really DID, and how much guilt she's trying to deflect onto Fugly. Sigh. Same old problem, nobody takes responsibility for their actions and for guiding/parenting their children.
By the way, kudos to Anon: what a well-written rebuttal. Both your responses, in fact, were eloquent and said EXACTLY what I would have liked to say, but now I don't have to - so, Thanks!
Thank you Green Girl for your comments. I have asked the ASPCA if they want to talk to you further, and they might. All the evidence we can get girl. Nice to talk to you today on the phone. Our mutual friend speaks VERY highly of you!
Hmm, methinks there's a mom with a guilty conscience out there. Wanna bet she spent more time harassing the neighbors for unseemly behavior than monitoring her daughter's internet usage?
I'm a mom with two boys who don't have any unsupervised internet time. They've visited FHOTD on occasion, too, and we've talked (a lot) about what's responsible behavior toward horses, animals, people and what's not. Cyberbullying? Think again, sweetheart. Calling a spade a spade is what this blog is about.
As one of my old employers used to say when it was time for someone who wasn't working out to leave - "sometimes it's addition by subtraction." We'll all be greatly enriched by your absence.
Wow...just wow on the irate mom. I have a 15 year old. Do I check what he's doing on the internet? HELL YES! Have I found that he visited sites I didn't want him at? Oh yeah. Did I take away internet access for a stated period? Yes. Did we then discuss why this was unacceptable? Yes.
Have I looked at some of the sites Fugly has posted. Yes. Did I write to those people, send hate mail? NO! Will I? Never. Has Fugly ever, ever instructed people to write nasty things to these individuals? Not that I have ever seen. I read this blog pretty regularly. Has she said write to authorities? Yes. Has she stated if you are going to write to any of these sites, you should be civil? Yes.
Mommashome....you need to research a tad better. You also need to not blame another individual for your child's poor behavior. It's tempting...I know. I've wanted to blame someone else when my son blew it on things. But ultimately the choice on his behavior is his, regardless of how painful it may be to me. I do the best I can with instilling the values I want him to have. Setting up consequences for poor behavior and bad choices. Even God grants us freewill.
Very OT. My husband is currently in the army. He is serving in Iraq as I type this. We found out a couple of days ago that we are on orders to move from Ft Polk, LA to Ft Jackson, SC. We wont be moving for a year, but I want to find stuff out before I get there. Is there anyone on here that is in the area? We are looking for boarding for two horses. Does anyone know of any places around there that are any good? Also, does anyone know of any good horse shippers?
BTW, Cathy, you are doing a great job!
Mommamommamomma.....
I understand some of your angst, I really do, but... um.... supervise your daughter better!!! My parents did - it was a BIG DEAL for me to see Star Wars when it came out because it was PG (I was 8). On the other hand, I was allowed to read anything I wanted to.
Really, a lot of horses have been saved as a direct result of this blog.
It's also a place to rant and vent about the dark side of the horse world.
And the Amish? They're not generally animal lovers. I have Amish friends, but they're woodworksers and unusual in that they actually kind of LIKE their animals. A WHOLE LOT of puppy mills, fur farms, veal farms and assorted other animal hellholes are Amish run. Read about the Amish employees at horse auctions. They're as cruel as the rest. Don't believe all those Christian Amish Romance Novels.
Anyway, at least you're making your daughter take responsibility now. Looks like SHE was the one turning into a cyberbully. Good for you for reining her in.
Good Lord, what was that Rant about? Oh Yeah, shielding the children from the Realities of the world. That's preparing them for adulthood.
BTW... Christmas is coming up so don't forget to get all the kiddies iPhones and iPods if they don't already have them.
Once again it's everyone else's fault. Shame on you world for being out there.
Crappy day at work. I'm off to find someone to blame.
As a mom, I knew everyone in both my kid's AIM list. Knew their screen name and all the screen names of everyone on their lists. I monitored them always. They are both in college now, never been in trouble. Now saying that, Does momma-who-is-FINALLY-home-now, think that teaching her children that life is all--butterflies and flowers? No murders, rapes, domestic violence, ever occur outside their home? Who knows, what does happen in her home. Shielding your kids from the REAL world, is not safe. Teaching them how other people, ASSHATS, are, and how you should deal with them, that is parenting. Blaming Fugs and all of us here, speaking our minds, only shows us, you are insecure. Maybe reading this blog will set them up to someday help a helpless equine, canine or other species from abuse or neglect. Maybe they won't turn their heads away, and speak up for the innocent.
The reality of so many animals abusers is heartbreaking to all of us.
Raven said...
OT news article from horsetalk.co.nz
Phoenix looks to ban horse-tripping
October 25, 2008
Horse-tripping may soon be illegal in the US state of Arizona. City councillors in Phoenix will soon vote to jail or fine those involved in the "sport", which animal welfare groups compare to dog or cockfight.
That's AWESOME. Any updates on the pro-tripping lawyer in Arizona (am I remembering this correctly? - The one who has a diatribe published on the web about how tripping is good for the horses?? I tried the search & couldn't find the post).
heh... my mom was an RN in Detroit, bad part of Cincinnati, and Oakland, CA. I got so many lectures on the Facts of Life and Emergency Room Horror Stories that I didn't have sex until... until... um, nevermind.
Oh well, Im' glad that Indiana Horse Rescue got a mention on here. The case that College Volunteer referred to was truly horrific. So good to see that those horses are doing well now. This coming payday I will donate some $$$... though I'm about tapped out for charitable giving this year.
Geeze, what a long winded battle axe....Sorry, couldn't help myself...Mommashome, unfortunately life ain't a Disney film! Screen what your kids look at on the internet, everyone knows that, don't they. While you're at it, why not blame Fugs for the failing economy, and home foreclosures!
Isn't freedom of speech our first amendment right? Politics isn't my area of expertise, but even I know that. Fugly is going to continue to blog as she please. Fellow bloggers will respond as they please; it is not a mob or a cult or any kind of bullying.
Momma - Your kid is not going to go from "mamma's little Angel" to evil-fhotd-reading-child in a couple of days. You clearly have missed something in your parenting. If you think this blog is negatively influencing your child, you should take a peek at what goes on at her school every day. I suggest you swing by the local pharmacy asap, get your meds refilled and have your internet service discontinued on your way home. There are a lot worse things to see out there than FHOTD.
Jeezo Fugs, you got compared to a sex offender. Sorry, I just find that pretty frickin hilarious. It's about as likely as Spinkter gelding his horses, neutering his dogs, and making a public apology.
So, this Mommashomenow needs someone to blame. Guess it might as well be us (cuz, I guess we're all complicit). Even though she singled out Fugly the blog's owner as the responsible party.
If 'Fugly Horse of the Day' was the worst blog, or site the kid got on, I'd be pretty pleased as a parent.
"Will trade for a lazy boy recliner!"
http://tallahassee.craigslist.org/grd/896762205.html
Also, I really, really hope that picture is set on a hill.
I emailed Judge Ramsdell a huge thank you!
"mommashomenow" should change her user name to "mommascompletelyinsanenow", what a nutjob.
OT, armybrats:
Re: horse shipping, I recently used these guys:
Worley's Hauling
www.worleyshauling.com/
TELEPHONE - 606-526-9408
MOBILE - 606-524-HAUL
FAX - 775-703-0485
Mari@WorleysHauling.com
They shipped my new Hackney pony from Minnesota to Oregon. I felt really good about the whole thing. The rig was great, they communicated well about where they were and what the schedule was. And best of all, my pony came off cool, calm, collected, well-fed and hydrated.
They're a husband-wife business, and are themseles horse owners so they understand the issues.
I emailed Judge Ramsdell a huge thank you!
OMG!!!! I've been haunted by Jeans picture for 24 hours. So I did some digging in my own paper work.
This BITCH leased my beloved Assadd daughter from me 14 years ago! She did a breeding lease with me and kept my mare over one winter. She sent me pictures all along (actual snap shots in the mail) because she lived so far and in those days I didn't travel like I do now. The pictures were ALL taken shortly after she got my mare, she claimed she kept her blanketed that was why her hair was slick! OMG!!! One of the worst experiences of my life!
To my horror when my mare had her foal, I went down there (at that time it was Monroe) and found my beloved mare and her baby in a small pen in knee deep MUD. The baby was stuck and my mare was skin and bones. Baby was less than 24 hours old.
I'll never forget it. It was when I learned that one never trusts someone else to care for your horse!(I was in my 20's) OMG I can't believe this! She's been up to this for a while now.
I of COURSE went and rescued my mare and baby that very day and called the ASPCA back then on her. They did nothing because "you have the mare in your hands and there is nothing we can do now" !!!
I still have the baby...her name is KS Asadds Khari. We call her "Khari big fat Khari" LOL! And we love her to death. She is a lifer. Her mama I exported to Canada. I often wonder about her to. Even tho the people paid big $$ for her, I've also learned that doesn't mean squat either....*sigh*
The sad part is? This woman can talk a HUGE game. She knows her bloodlines and KNOWS how to care for them. I remember feeling very confident that Caresse when to a great situation...I remember thinking back then that this "older more experienced" breeder would just better my own horse by making a champion from her. Holy crap...its all coming back...
Mommashomenow - It's not my job to be a good example. It's yours. You are the person who chose to parent. If you are upset about your child being on my blog, imagine what else she is on when you aren't watching. YOU failed, not me. I have never represented this blog as a place for children. It has had adult language from day one, just like a R-rated movie. Any "net nanny" software would have blocked it. Perhaps you should invest in some.
But hey, if your kid was the one impersonating me and you made it stop, GOOD. Glad to see you finally doing your job!
Justanarabgal...how scary and how LUCKY for the mare/foal that you got them back in time!
Wow.
You know, you should write the prosecutor in Snoho with that story. They should know her history of neglect goes back that far.
By the way, my friend bought the $300 Alydar daughter. So she is safe and will be fine! :-)
mommashomenow,
Why is your daughter on the net, unsupervised, if you are SO concerned with her well-being?
Nice to have someone to blame when your kid messes up and makes YOU look bad, isn't it?
Damn, forgot to say WOO HOO on the successful prosecutions.
I hate to think of these kinds of folks maybe raising children in their stanky, suffering-filled trailers. Having 'em hauled in for animal abuse might help the authorities help their offspring, too.
Saw a video on youtube-- horses being taken off a property by authorities, the owner a screaming fatass hoarder that was lugging her BABY through it like a cabbage-patch kid. Poor lil mite's head unsupported, flopping around, and ... the child was not crying. Quiet as a lamb. Made me wonder-- what does that baby experience at home, that its mother's squalling and bad treatment doesn't upset it a jot?
Might be saving more than horses, if this kind of prosecution takes off. So many peple out there, needing serious help, or just too ignorant or callous to care. It's really pretty scary.
>>I hate to think of these kinds of folks maybe raising children in their stanky, suffering-filled trailers. Having 'em hauled in for animal abuse might help the authorities help their offspring, too.<<
That actually happens A LOT. Often the inappropriate child care is revealed as a result of the investigation into the animal neglect, because the animals were outside where someone could see them.
Yes, it's a start. However, some of these crimes should be FELONIES. We need to write to our state senators and representatives to make the animal cruelty laws and consequences much tougher! Nine months isn't enough punishment for willfully starving animals. Mark my words, she’ll be out in two.
nohossjones said...
"mommashomenow,
Why is your daughter on the net, unsupervised, if you are SO concerned with her well-being?
Nice to have someone to blame when your kid messes up and makes YOU look bad, isn't it?"
Here here. Couldn't have said it better myself. There's nothing like an irate parent who gets mad at the babysitter. (Computer)
One small plug for Momma....
MAYBE her daughter did something dumb ONCE? And that Momma freaked in an appropriate way??
At least she made the daughter correct the situation(s).
Kids are fast, kids can be sneaky. Well-meaning parents can be ignorant. John McCain's admission of complete and utter computer illiteracy is a glaring example. Web-savvy people tend to forget that a HUGE chunk of the population is pretty Internet-impaired. And a whole lot of people (middle aged and older adults, mostly) still believe that if it's in print/on the Web, then it MUST be true.
Of course that's always been bunk, from Gutenberg on down.
Then again maybe she's just a clueless parent who thinks that MySpace is a toy.
At least she's doing the right thing now by her daughter, but asking Fugly to tone it down? Accusing Fugly of... well, a lot of BS?
Silly. I can't really attack her personally by calling her a Bad Parent, because I think she's really trying, but it's still a bloody shame whenever somebody in this country advocates censorship, especially when there's nothing shady going on.
I used to live in Ferndale. I know right where that pasture is with the fugly stallion in it. Scary stuff.
"mommashomenow"...a shining example of everything that's wrong with parenting today.
Sick and tired of irresponsible parents who spend more energy deciding who to blame for their spawn's behaviour than in actually raising this being they decided simply HAD to be brought into the world.
It's your kid. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. Not ANYONE ELSE'S. It scares me how this simple fact seems to have been subjugated over a very short period of time. It's called SUPERVISION. And yeah, its gonna cut into your spare time some. Deal with it.
Mammashomenow>> "Your blog isn't really about helping horses, it is about gathering people to public hangings and nothing more."
0_0 Holy mother of pearl, this lady sure likes to write! That took me longer to read than the scarlet letter.
How dare you, FHOTD blog, for not being a good place for her child to baby sit herself at.
Thats what the internet is now: a play date so parents can be left alone.
SHE should start a blog. That would be entertaining.
>>How dare you, FHOTD blog, for not being a good place for her child to baby sit herself at.
Thats what the internet is now: a play date so parents can be left alone.<<
I know. It's awful how I dare have a web site that is not appropriate for children, isn't it? 'Cause, gosh, nothing else on the Internet is inappropriate for children!
Oy vey...
Just an observation, but I can't help notice how many of the same people who starve their horses are, themselves, the fattest of fucks. Seriously, this broad isn't lacking for calories. From the neck up she looks like she should spend some quality time in a glycerine sweat on the hot walker. I'm guessing the bottom half doesn't get any better. Her pockets probably cover a couple of zip codes, easily.
She was eating a helluva lot better than those horses, the goddamned bitch.
10/30/08
Note cross posters.
record postings of in c-1087/tbm
tbm
Dan's Mom has left a new comment on the post "Nothing tastes sweeter than justice!":
10/30/08
Note cross posters.
record postings of in c-1087/tbm
WTF??
go home !!!
Fugly I am posting here to let you know that you have mail.
I would also like to let all of you here know that some of you will be receiving an invitation to a new site very shortly.
The site is to be profanity free, educational, we feel, it isn't necessary to be abusive to be helpful, or funny, and it absolutely will be censored.
OMG Fugly!!!I just advertised on your site to "borrow" some of your readers.
I will not be responding to anything further on this site, until, or unless, there is much change. Well except, for a few postings of the new site.
I want to thank everyone here and there for your kind support through this unnecessary ugliness. You know who you are. And I look forward to seeing you in the new there very soon.
Take Care Everyone and Best wishes...Dena
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