Someone please help!!!

[Andy_F]

Hi...I am looking for some advice from a vet or from someone who can give me some details regarding the effects of horse starvation. I have a neighbour who has consistantly neglected to feed and water his 3 horses. The horses will go over a week without food, and in the summer the owner will not provide them with water. Luckily, the neighbours have pitched in and gave them hay bales over the winter and also made sure they had water.

At this time, the owner has been contacted by several neighbours and we have threatened to call the SPCA. Here is where the problem is... I live in Saskatchewan Canada and the laws regarding animal cruelty and neglect are appauling. Before any animal welfare agency can step in, the horses have to be in critical condition. At this point, the horses are thin, malnourished, have never been vaccinated or treated for parisites/worms, and have never had any farrier work. One horse, a yearling is in particularily bad shape, however none of the animals can yet be considered "critical". We have tried a number of approaches to get them to quit neglecting the horses, including several phone calls every week, but nothing ever gets done because all of us neighbours refuse to allow the horses to get to the point where their health is critical.

My question to all is this: Does anyone have any detailed information on both the long term and short term effects of starvation in horses? Additionally, what are the physiological consequences of periods of short term starvation followed by periods of binging (as seems to happen when a hay-bale is given to them after a week of no food)? If anyone has any information for me, I would greatly appreciate all information and advice. Although I would love to see the owners prosecuted and charged my ultimate concern at this point is for the horse's welfare. If anyone would like to email me any info or post a response for me, my email is ducks_go_quack@hotmail.com. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Tia]

I think your best bet is to get in touch with a rescue centre and try to get them to encourage the owner to sign the horses over to them.

I live in Ontario and see this sort of thing going on all the time. There isn't much that can be done sadly.

 

[SpruceRI]

Are they like donkeys in that their body starts to break down their internal organs via the blood, or something like that?

 

[annie02]

Have you actually called the SPCA? You should call and complain as often as you can, explain the situation to the SPCA. Even if they dont charge or do anything they should still look into a complaint with a visit. That might be what it takes to have the owner either sell the horses or feed them. I KNOW that if water is not provided that the SPCA is requried to come and evaluate the situation.

 

[Andy_F]

*** here is an update to my story....

yesterday my mother called the SPCA and found out about exactly what the laws are. If things don't change soon we will call and file a formal complaint. We are giving them one more chance to straighten up their act (not my choice, but my mom doesn't want to start any unneccessary conflicts with neighbours). We are planning to contact the idiots once more and seriously threaten them, that if things don't change and stay changed that we will file a complaint. Considering that all the horses are skinny and likely have parisites and their hooves have never been trimmed likely charges will stick. Additionally, one horse still has scars where these idiots allowed a halter to grow into her face. Honestly, I don't know what is wrong with these people.