Horses and Goats Rescued in Andrew County Missouri

The Humane Society of Missouri's Animal Cruelty Taskforce has been busy the past few days.  On November 11 they received a request for assistance near Guilford, MO. 

Working in cooperation with the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department, they began the rescue of 32 horses, 4 mini-horses and 2 goats. The horses were severely underweight and had no access to food or fresh water. Six recently deceased horses also were found on the property  and another horse present was so desperately ill, an independent veterinarian recommended it be humanely euthanized on the spot.    Starving mares could no longer provide milk to their malnourished foals. Two of the horses were so unstable, they had to be taken to a nearby equine hospital for emergency treatment. One did not survive.

According to Andrew County Sheriff Bryan Atkins, an independent veterinarian who visited the property Sunday determined the horses were malnourished and would not survive the winter; he recommended removal of the animals as soon as possible. The Sheriff then contacted the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Task Force to assist with the investigation and possible rescue of the horses and goats. Subsequently, the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department served a warrant to enter the property and, upon veterinary recommendation, removed the animals.

The rescued animals have been taken to the Humane Society of Missouri’s Longmeadow Rescue Ranch in Union, Mo. The animals will remain in the custody of the Humane Society of Missouri until the disposition hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Nov. 29, 2010 in Savannah, Mo. If custody of the animals is awarded to the Humane Society of Missouri, as many of the animals as possible will be made available for adoption. Due to their poor condition, it may be several months following the disposition hearing before many of the animals would be available for adoption.