Owner surrenders starving horses

A grim procession trudged down a Franklin County farm road Tuesday evening.

Seven horses -- some so malnourished they looked like walking skeletons -- were led off a barren pasture by volunteers from a horse rescue group.

As sad a sight as they were, the horses were stumbling toward a better future, rescuers said.

They will be cared for and -- with a little luck, a lot of effort and considerable expense -- will be nursed back to full health.

Volunteers from the nonprofit Spot-O-Faith Farm in Pasco went to the property on Birch Road after the horses' owner reached an agreement with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office that he would hand over the starving animals.

Linda Christiano, the founder of Spot-O-Faith, declined to name the owner.

But public records show the property owner is John Hurlbert, who is listed online as an inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Pasco. Calls to Hurlbert were not returned Tuesday.

Volunteers and county officials became involved after receiving complaints last week about the condition of the animals.

Shaggy coats stretched over clearly visible ribs. Hip bones starkly protruded from sunken flanks. The spines of some of the horses stuck out inches above their fleshless backs.

Horses were missing teeth. Their hooves were cracked and splintered.

One foal had a crusty gash down its hind leg.

The foal likely was hurt on a fence more than a month ago, said Suzanne Baird, a veterinary technician who came to help the volunteers.

It did not look as though the wound had been cared for at all in that time, she said.

Christiano said she was shocked when she first saw the horses Thursday.

"They are the worst case of horse neglect I've seen," she said.

Christiano called the sheriff's office -- Franklin County has no designated animal control officers -- and a deputy agreed after looking at the horses Friday that something needed to happen quickly.

Christiano said she was told the owner agreed to relinquish all of the animals in exchange for not facing an animal neglect charge.

She said she was told a deputy would accompany her to the Birch Road property to uphold that agreement, she said.

But no deputy was there Tuesday. Deputies were busy with traffic accidents that evening, said Sgt. Brian Pfeiffer.

In the end, horses were left behind because the owner told volunteers that he did not have to hand over all of the horses. He already had taken two off his property earlier in the day and was keeping six more.

He had found new homes on his own for those, he told Christiano.

"I'm disappointed that the sheriff didn't get involved today," Baird said. "We didn't (know) if the order included all of the horses."

The nonprofit requested that Hurlbert supply names and phone numbers for any new owners of the six horses, so that it can be sure they are fed and cared for adequately.

Pfeiffer said the owner told a deputy Friday that he hadn't been able to find hay for the horses.

But Christiano said a nearby farm has hay readily available for sale.

She took three of the horses to her own farm. The rest were going to foster homes.

About two dozen dogs also live on the property with the horses. About half of them are miniature Australian Shepherds and shepherd mixes. The Aussies seem to be in good shape. Their owner told the volunteers he would give them up for adoption as well.

Volunteer Tara Crider cradled one of the dogs as others loaded nervous horses onto trailers.

"We'll evaluate this one when we get home," Crider said. "It might get adopted or it might get a new home with us."

The horses will have to be fed a special diet and will need veterinary and hoof care, Christiano said.

To donate to Spot-O-Faith, checks made out to the nonprofit can be taken to any Yakima Federal Savings and Loan branch.

To inquire about adopting horses or dogs or to help with horse supplies, email spotofaith farm@msn.com or call 845-7242.

w Jacques Von Lunen: 582-1402; jvonlunen@ tricityherald.com

This story was originally published July 6, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Owner surrenders starving horses ."