ABUSE: Fight it at county level

We were recently reminded of an issue that inexplicably remains unresolved in our society. On Oct. 9, the Cd’A Press reported about the recurring issue of animal abuse rearing its ugly head again, with the troubling story of the Mustang Ranch and Rescue horse operation near Cataldo, Idaho. Their purported mission was to take in “unwanted” horses and re-home them through adoption if possible. Whether this is a case of good intentions gone badly or someone purposely trying to take advantage of other people’s misfortunes and profit from it remains under investigation at this point.

A quick search on the internet revealed that this local pattern of abuse has been going on for some time. Tony Mangan, past president of the Panhandle Equine Rescue, gave a moving account of one horse’s needless demise in the fall of 2010 with the story, “Bailey’s final moments.” A year later, a man in Pinehurst was charged with animal cruelty to horses. This recent incident occurring in Cataldo has since been followed by the seizure of a horse in Otis Orchards on Oct. 23rd by Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS). Just recently on the 15th of November, SCRAPS seized an additional 63 horses from one location. In the past several months SCRAPS has collected approximately 100 neglected or abused horses from four separate places. It is blatantly apparent that we have a serious problem in our region, and these are only cases that make the news. How many similar cases of unreported abuse are waiting to be exposed?

We have an obligation to initiate steps so that these unnecessary events don’t repeat themselves again. Finding answers for the prevention of animal abuse will not be easy; it can be accomplished though, if we take a pragmatic approach and formulate our solutions with sound reasoning, while letting our heartfelt emotions be the driving force behind this mission.

In reference to Tony Mangan’s Oct. 23rd My Turn opinion on animal abuse, I agree with him that it’s going to take a grass roots, citizen-driven effort to enact the necessary changes. But after looking at the Kootenai County ordinances and not finding any governing rules specifically concerning horses, I believe that the place to start is at the local level. A county-by-county movement may be more successful than a full state effort at this point, and our county demographics may allow for a successful win in a war on animal abuse that needs to be waged statewide. A thoughtful dialogue needs to be started about creating ordinances that meet our local expectations on animal abuse while avoiding unintended consequences. Included in this dialogue should be a serious discussion about ways to educate the public. The key to solving the issue of unwanted and abused horses will be educating people to become responsible horse owners.

DAN LEGG

Coeur d’Alene