One horse lay dead, while two others are dying of neglect, after the Los Angeles County of Animal Care and Control (“LAAS”) returned them to their owners only 3 days after being confiscated.

It all started sometime in the month of June. After two weeks of repeated calls to LAAS from a concerned citizen about three horses she felt were being neglected in Littlerock, Calif., animal control authorities finally removed them from their owners’ care. They were returned only 3 days later, despite obvious signs of neglect. No word was given at that time whether animal control officers cited the owners, or offered any advice, training or help.
                                   
On July 3, the Good Samaritan returned to the property to see how the horses were doing. She was shocked to see one of the horses had died and the other two showed no signs of improvement. She subsequently made additional calls to LAAS about the dead horse and the two neglected horses. 

As of July 6, no one from LAAS had visited the property to investigate signs of continued neglect of the surviving horses. The dead horse still lay there – albeit now with a tarp covering his body – while the two remaining horses were forced to maneuver around the deceased horse’s body. Additionally, the citizen expressed concern that the rotting flesh of the dead horse was now a health hazard.

Cheryl Poindexter visited the Littlerock property on July 10. The dead horse was gone, but she could see a mound of dirt, which she surmises is the owners’ lame attempt at burying the deceased horse’s rotting corpse.

There were other disturbing things Poindexter noticed. Except for a plastic bucket of black-ish liquid with “a stench that would make you gag,” there was no water in sight. There was no hay on the property, either, or any “evidence that they have been fed anything [or given water] in days.” An animal lover and horse owner, Poindexter gave them some water before leaving.

She is very concerned that these horses are “dying in plain view,” and – given their body condition – doesn’t understand why LAAS’s vet allowed them to be returned to their owners.

Stay tuned for an update to this case…