Hundreds of Starving Animals on Farm in GA
Hundreds of animals starving on farm
Cows, goats, dogs among hundreds
By SANDRA ECKSTEIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/31/07
State and county officials have discovered more than 200 starving horses, cows, goats and dogs on a Concord farm near Barnesville.
Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin said complaints about the condition of the animals came in last week.
“Considering the magnitude and the numbers, this is one of the worst situations we’ve ever dealt with,” Irvin said. “Why he let them get in this shape, we have no explanation.”
Officials are not releasing the name of the owner until warrants are served.
Irvin said at least half of the nearly 100 horses on the farm scored less than a two on the equine body scoring system of one to nine, meaning the horses are just skin and bones. Irvin said his inspectors were out there last week, and two of his state veterinarians were at the farm this weekend, but the horses did not receive food until Monday, when volunteers brought in truckloads of hay and oats.
Kristin Reid, a local horse farm owner, has been trying to round up supplies for the animals. Reid, who was one of the volunteers delivering food Monday, said she counted 98 horses, 65 cows, 65 goats and 50 to 60 dogs. Reid said some of the dogs had been killing the goats and eating them.
Other animals, animal bodies and newly dug graves were scattered around the hundreds of acres of the farm. She said they waited hours at the gate Monday before being allowed in.
“It’s horrific. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Reid. “There are dead animals, there are dying animals, there are starving animals everywhere.”
Scott Ballard, the district attorney for the Griffin Judicial Circuit, which includes Pike County, said warrants are expected to be issued for animal cruelty in the case.
“It’s a massive investigation that involves state and local authorities that is expected to lead to charges,” Ballard said.
Irvin said he thinks the state will seize about half the horses, while working with the owner to be sure the rest are properly cared for. He said that because some of the horses have a transmittable disease called strangles, they must be quarantined. For now, he said, they’re being cared for at the farm.
Irvin said he wasn’t sure what was happening with the cows and goats but believed the healthiest were being taken to be sold. He said those animals were the responsibility of the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Jimmy Thomas did not respond to messages left at the Pike County Sheriff’s Office.
Reid said she is very concerned because there is no shelter on the farm and cold rain is moving into the area.
“A lot of these horses won’t be able to make it if they have to stay out there in sleet and rain,” Reid said.
She said they are looking for somewhere to move the horses, or portable shelter, but because of the quarantine, it’s difficult.
January 31, 2007 @ 1:41 pm
This is outrageous. Hope they throw the book at the owner of the farm. How dare someone do this. I will call such a person the Hitler of animals. Why must this happen. Why does it have to come to this point before anything was done. I just don’t understand the justice in this country.Can someone explain this to me.
((((
Cheryl
January 31, 2007 @ 1:59 pm
One one hand something like this is unbelievable that it could happen with no one doing anything for so long. On the other hand it is good to know things like this are making the news and being told. My heart is aching for the many dogs and puppies of Keystone Kennel in GA who will also have to endure the cold sleet and rain coming their way. It looks like the GA Dept. of Agriculture has their hands full with this farm tradegy to even think about the poor dogs at Keystone Kennel!
January 31, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
And they are only taking HALF of the horses? WHY?! They should take them all. Sure, they have to be quarantined, but why not find some other place to take them where there is shelter?
January 31, 2007 @ 2:49 pm
Don’t ask why - clearly Georgia has NO CLUE!
January 31, 2007 @ 3:17 pm
This is horrendous,the animals are eating each other to survive.That same state again.
Rhona
January 31, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
Like I posted in another blog, there is a special place in hell for people who abuse animals!!!!
Pepper&Bella
February 1, 2007 @ 1:20 pm
My wife is one of the volunteers who arrived at the farm on Monday. She said it was sickening. Horses, cows, goats and dogs were starving. Packs of dogs were killing the sheep just to eat.
The groups that contacted the sheriff’s office ranged from PETA to the Georgia Cattleman’s Association. The DA has vowed to prosecute those responsible.
Irving’s reference to the state taking half of the horses is because only half are able to survive being moved. However, the farm has been quaranteened and no horse can leave the property. Many of the horses have a disease called “strangles.” This is a very contagious disease that kiils most horses that get it. It is so contagious that vehicles that have been on the property have to be washed before coming into contact with other horses. Adjoining farms with horses will also be quaranteen even if those horses may not have the disease.
You are wrong to say that Georgia has no clue. The state inspectors and volunteers moved very quickly as soon as the problem was found. One of the state equine inspectors was told of the dying animals at a horse sale late on Saturday night. Another state inspector went to the farm on Sunday morning to investigate and found dead and dying animals everywhere while the owners lived in a million dollar house on 600 acres of land.
The inspectors put out a call to the horse and cattle community for help. They spent Sunday gathering the thousands of pounds of food needed to keep the animals alive. Many volunteers showed up on Monday and began feeding the animals. Hay growers donated hay for the horses and cows. Dog food and goat food was provided also. A drug company contacted the instpectors about providing medicines for the sick animals. My wife spent about 12 hours on Monday at the farm and did not get home until after midnight.
She said that to a non-horse or non-cattle person it would have been difficult to tell that the animals were being starved because of the winter coats and the distance from the road where the animals were kept. She could tell as soon as she got to the farm. Getting up close to the animals it was obvious to the average person that they were in trouble.
February 1, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
Thank-you for the first-hand perspective Horse Owner and God Bless you and your wife for volunteering for this work!
February 1, 2007 @ 2:50 pm
This is a true tradegy and you and your wife are wonderful to help out. Our frustration with the state of Georgia, and in particular the GA Dept. of Agriculture, is that for some reason they have not moved to shut down a horrible puppy mill, called Keystone Kennel, in Canton, GA, when they have been given more than enough documentation and evidence that this horrible abuse of Dachshunds needs to be addressed.
February 1, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
I don’t know if the GA Dept of Agriculture has jurisdiction over puppy mills. I have never heard of them doing anything with dogs other than collecting tag fees to pay for spaying and neutering.
I know in this case, the county took jurisdiction over the dogs and Dept of Ag. took jurisdiction over the farm animals.
BTW my wife and others were the ones helping out and deserve the credit. I was at home sick in bed.
February 1, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
Horse Owner - The Animal Protection Agency is within the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture, and you can see this listed on the GA Dept. of Ag’s web site. So, technically, it is the Dept. of Agriculture who should be addressing this puppy mill situation. And, I hope you are feeling better. I hope those poor horses and other farm animals make it.
February 1, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
Dear Horse Owner - Thank your wife for all of her hard work and devotion. Our biggest wish here is that one day soon we will be able to do the same for all the dogs and puppies at the above mentioned Puppy Factory. We are all fighting the same fight!
February 2, 2007 @ 9:17 am
UPDATE:
First-It does appear that the Dept of Ag is SUPPOSE to regulate puppy mills. Even Keystone Kennels web site says so.
Second- This business with the starving animals is turning political and it could be the end of Tommy Irvin’s career. There has been something really strange about how this whole episode has been handled. The sheriff of Pike County lives across the street from this property and was slow to act. Irvin told the AJC that all the Department’s resources were committed to this problem when in fact only three equine inspectors were allowed on the site on Monday. The owners have still not been arrested.
Then the plan was to turn over care for the horses back to the original owners! Yesterday, the Governor stepped in and ordered all of the horses seized by the state. The Governor tried to get Irvin voted out last November. Now, Irvin claims he called for help from the Governor.
This part will interest you dog lovers. It appears that these people were running a puppy mill. Almost all of the dogs were either beagles or hounds. There were almost no mutts. A lot of dogs had puppies. If this is true and this mill was being inspected then Irvin is in trouble. If it was not being inspected then Irvin needs to answer why. My guess is that the Governor is going to make Irvin’s life difficult.