I get a lot of e-mails asking me what the best way is to identify a good rescuer or equine organization. While I've posted an article about how to find a horse a truly good home (there's that link I left out a few days ago), I think most of us, myself included, assume an animal is reasonably safe once it's in the hands of local animal control. I mean, it might go to auction, but it won't starve to death.
Or not. 
A few days ago, in the middle of an escaped pony drama, some ladies came upon the horses you see here. And more. I'm not posting the picture of the dead ones.
Now, at this point everybody knows what to do when you see horses like this, right? Take pictures - which the ladies did - and call animal control!
Er, um, slight problem with the second part: The owner of the horses is an animal control officer. Actually, he's the A.C. Supervisor. Joy.
Yeah, you heard me. Fortunately, these were smart ladies and they did the smart thing, which was run screaming to the Sheriff and the D.A. The D.A. promptly turned it over to the State Vet to investigate and that is where we are at today.
Now, to answer your first question, no, I don't think these horses were newly rescued, although that's certainly what these asshats, Kenny and Aleshia Price (he's the A.C. officer) have to say. Witness the usual round of "but we're a RESCUE" excuses: http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=9974888&nav=menu62_4 
Aleshia even has an excuse for the two half-eaten dead horses on the place. She says they shot them (I assume they have some argument for why this was needed) and left them there to distract those wily coyotes from their live horses.
"We felt the carcasses could not be seen by any house or anywhere," Aleshia Price said. "There are a lot of coyotes. We felt humane to let them feed on something than attacking our horses."
OK, how often does a coyote attack a horse? We had tons of them when I boarded in Topanga. They are skittish creatures and never came near a horse. The funny part is, even Aleshia's husband knows this much - I found an article where he talks about them killing cats and small dogs. Yes, that is exactly what they kill. It is not necessary to leave them a buffet of rotting horse to keep them away from your live ones! You just didn't want to pay for disposal. I wonder if we will, indeed, find a bullet in those carcasses - or if they starved to death?
Kenny likes the media, normally! He is usually all too happy to give interviews about how they just want to educate people and help! Um, Kenny, charity begins at home - I think your horses would have liked some of that help. Particularly the dead ones. It's one thing when you see people in desperate straits with skinny horses - and you know that I think you should give them away before it gets that far. But this guy is (a) EMPLOYED and (b) EMPLOYED TO PROTECT ANIMALS! Where's the hay money going, Kenny? Beer? Drugs? Does Aleshia have an addiction to the Home Shopping Network? What exactly is the problem here, and did you think your property was invisible and no one was ever going to see this?
I hope the D.A. throws the book at him AND his b.s.-spewing wifey. Surely, even in Florence, Alabama, you can hire a better A.C. officer. I recommend one of the folks who turned him in!
E-mail for the D.A. Remember, short, sweet and profanity-free is what makes the point. Spewing invective like you're on the Internet makes people hit the delete key and ignore what you have to say.
