A while back authorities seized 17 malnourished and neglected horses from the Black River Stable in Cherry Plain, Rensselaer County, in Albany, NY. Although the horses were in terrible condition, they were still in service for the owners to make money on their trail-riding business.
The Animal Control officers had been to this farm multiple times in the previous year trying to get Thelma and Mary Wadsworth (the owners) to care properly for these animals. The horses were standing in an open pasture with no grass left, no hay or grain. They had no shelter and only a filthy tub that collected water, which was all they had to drink.
Finally, they couldn’t tolerate it any more. After trying to get them to cooperate the Animal Control Officers went to court and were granted a warrant for seizure. They spent the day calling all local shelters and begging them to take horses if they could. Pets Alive was able to take two, Baxter and Carrie.
Baxter and Carrie were brought to Pets Alive filled with worms. Their bellies were swollen and their ribs were protruding. They were too emaciated to even stand. Carrie’s milk had dried up well before her baby Baxter should have stopped nursing, so he was stunted in his development and malnourished. Baxter’s fur was coming out in patches and his skin was showing through. And since they had been forced to live in a filthy environment where they stood knee high in feces, one side of his small body was covered in it. What’s even scarier is that Carrie and Baxter were actually better off than some of the other horses.
At Pets Alive they were cared for, and fed properly, with the staff going out five times a day to feed them. Immediately, Kerry, Matt and all the workers at Pets Alive began caring for the sick pair. Special hay and grain were bought for them. The vet came out to give them shots, vaccinations and de-worming. Carrie’s teeth were cleaned and her hooves trimmed and both she and Baxter enjoyed baths for the first time. Within three days Baxter went from dragging his head in the dirt to looking around and walking over to be pet and scratched. Mommy and baby were doing wonderfully.
Then, the most shocking and disturbing thing happened. Friday the case went to court and unbelievably the judges (who it should be noted, although well meaning, are not really judges or even lawyers for that matter, but rather elected officials who do whatever the prosecutors tell them to do) has awarded this woman her choice of six horses to take back.
She has chosen to take Baxter and Carrie back. Pets Alive offered her $2000 (that they frankly can’t afford), to buy them, and she countered with almost double the amount! Then, when they offered to pay the $4,000, she took the offer off of the table. WE HAVE SINCE OFFERED HER $10,OOO TO LEAVE THE HORSES WITH PETS ALIVE AND SHE HAS TURNED US DOWN REPEATEDLY. Brad Shear, Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society’s Executive Director, says that he can only suppose that she won’t accept the money because of hurt feelings over this situation and bad things written about her on the Internet.
We can’t imagine what kind of human being would sit by while this happened to another living creature because of a bruised ego and we cannot allow for these horses to be returned to her. We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of these beautiful creatures, but we need your help.
This kind of abuse must be made known and must be stopped. We must fight to put an end to “judges” who view animals merely as merchandise and property to make a living from, no matter what their treatment. These precious animals cannot speak for themselves and they need our help
Please do what you can to help us in this fight. Carrie and Baxter are now so happy and healthy, looking forward to the possibility of good homes rather than going back to the hellish nightmare that they came from with an inhumane proprietor that would not feel an ounce of remorse from starving her animals to death.
If you are as outraged as we are, please let your voices be heard by:
Writing to: www.blackriverstable.com
Contacting: Judge Rechen of Berlin Town Court
You can also contact Brad Shear, Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society, Executive Director, 518-434-8128 x203, to find out what, if anything you can do to help.
Thanks for listening,
Marisol Thomas, Founder, President, SIDEWALK ANGELS FOUNDATION
Board member, PETS ALIVE
Rob Thomas, Vice President, SIDEWALK ANGELS FOUNDATION