An animal welfare group is calling a horse rescue in Shelburne “the worst case of abuse and neglect we have ever seen.”
Clarendon-based Spring Hill Horse Rescue issued a press release Thursday saying it was called to a property in Chittenden County last Tuesday, January 15, to help three horses in dire straits. The group said it found two mares and a stallion that had been locked in small, dark stalls for several years.
“They were standing on several feet of built up manure — and were running out of room to stand upright,” Spring Hill’s statement said. “The bones, hair and hooves of their former herd mates surrounded them. These were the three survivors.”
Chittenden County State’s Attorney T.J. Donovan said Thursday that his office has opened a criminal investigation into the alleged abuse, and confirmed it took place in Shelburne. Neither he nor Spring Hill Horse Rescue would name the property owner.
Donovan said his office was consulted about the rescue last week but that no search warrant was issued. He said the horses were removed from the property.
“It appears the owner consented to hand them over,” Donovan said. “They were not seized.”
Animal welfare groups say they’ve seen a disturbing number of horse abuse and neglect cases lately, and have complained that Vermont law enforcement do not treat animal cruelty cases seriously.
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Kudos to Seven Days for blogging this and reporting on other animal cruelty issues in the past. We need the press to spread the word about these crimes…sadly, most don’t get prosecuted. This is a real problem in Vermont.
Uhh…..
Once again, 7 Days steps up to the plate reporting on animal abuse. Thank you.
I can not comment in an intellectually sound manner! So, I am just going to leave it at that, except to thank the Spring Hill rescue group for standing up to the plate! Thank you!
You are right! Vt doesn’t give a shit about horses! I too, tried to get them to go after a stable owner for almost starving my horse to death, she claimed it was hers, and I had to prove it was mine, with the clock ticking. No charges were EVER filed against them, and I was not alone. The laws in this state have to change, and the VT Horse Council is WORTHLESS when it come to trying to get anything done about this! They are just as much pets as dogs and cats! We spend Billions on them, and they still equal them to livestock! VT wake up!!! These horses deserve justice, I hope they go to jail for this, there is NO excuse for this kind of neglect. They had years to give them away!
I’m donating to Spring Hill Rescue, today.
This needs to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
My tears are flowing. Poor babies.
Good for you Seven Days and thank god for Spring Hill. This kind of thing must be covered and the message sent that animal abuse is not to be tolerated. Punishments for animal abuse need to be much stronger.
The property is located on Irish Hill Road in Shelburne, a dilapatated horse farm formerly known as Ledgemere Farm. George Wilson (formerly of WCAX) and his wife Ann Gilbreth are the owners, She had Arab horses there.
What a horrible shame. And it’s symptomatic of Vermont’s problem that the names of the abusers are protected, their reputations still more precious than the lives of the creatures entrusted to them…
These people need to be in Jail!!!!
Being an ex-employee of WCAX you’d think there’d be more public outrage over this horrible crime against the poor horses. It amazes me that Donovan is so hesitant about pursuing criminal charges against Wilson -unless maybe it’s more worthwhile to look the other way? Just wondering.
Many thanks to all who aided in this rescue! Why is Wilson not under arrest if he threatened them with an attempt to retrieve a high-powered rifle on his premises?
The fastest way to affect change is to put in ordinance in front of your townspeople on town meeting day and pass a local ordinance on horse keeping. That way your local animal control can fine people for violations. It may not put people in jail but it gets horses out of bad situations which should be the most important thing. When faced withlarge fines most people will relinquish there animals to animal control. Just something to look into.
This is so sad. Those poor poor animals! Makes me so angry I could cry! I thank Spring Hill Horse Rescue for removing the horses from this god awfull place! These horses deserve justice, but, it remains to be seen. I say whoever neglected these horses need to go straight to jail no if and or buts about it!! For A LONG TIME!!!