Eighteen Arabian Horses Doomed to Local Kill Sales

For Immediate Release
Denkai Animal Sanctuary
www.denkaisanctuary.org
info@denkaisanctuary.org
(970) 895-2337

Eighteen Arabian Horses Doomed to Local Kill Sales

Grover, CO - For the last eleven months, the fate of Eighteen Arabian
Horses left abandoned by a Niwot, CO Breeder has been stalled. Denkai
Animal Sanctuary of Grover, CO has housed these horses in an effort to save
them from the ultimate ending that will place them on a dinner plate in
European and Asian countries of which horse meat is considered a delicacy.
As a result of the court hearing March 30, 2009, the court has ordered that
these 18 horses be sold in accordance with the Colorado State Statute. The
lives of these horses will be spared no longer without the help of caring
individuals willing and able to provide funding and or take them in.
Colorado State Statute; C.R.S. 38-20-206, explains the procedure of sale
upon receiving a judgment on an agistor’s lien. According to this
statute, the sale must take place not more than forty-five days after the
judgment at the nearest public livestock market in Colorado. Any public
livestock market in Colorado must be licensed through the Colorado Brand
Board. Being legally bound to follow this statute, Denkai Animal Sanctuary
is forced to take these eighteen Arabian Horses to a livestock auction.
The owner of Dry Creek Arabians failed to appear in court March 30, 2009;
Denkai was prepared to ask the owner to sign a bill of sale, which would
have saved her eighteen Arabian horses from the hands of local kill buyers
by preventing them from having to go through public auction. Denkai was
ready to forgive the lien owed against these horses. This would have given
Denkai Animal Sanctuary the ability to gain brand inspection and adopt
these horses into new homes.
There are many stories, facts and figures blowing across the media and
e-mail regarding the number of unwanted horses. The solution that the
agricultural industry among others continues to hammer at is slaughter;
this is how we dispose of “unwanted horses”.
How to dispose of “unwanted” horses is not the solution to this issue;
these eighteen horses are a perfect example. Through irresponsible
breeding practices due to known defects, housing over 40 horses on a total
of 2.7 acres, and the inability to care for these Arabians, their owner has
placed them in a life and death situation.
Breeding operations need to be regulated, new and individual horse owners
need to be educated in the care and cost of owning horses, economic times
are very difficult for many people, funds can be established to aid in
gelding expenses, low-cost vaccinations, a 30 day hay supply for those that
qualify. Those in the rescue industry are not the only ones finding
abandoned horses dumped in their laps, farmers and ranchers are dealing
with this as well. There are alternatives that can help to regulate the
cause, not the symptom.
The majority of these Arabians are younger to middle aged. A few have had
some training and most are very trainable, viable horses. If kill buyers
purchase these Arabians, their future will be short. They will be scared,
hungry; most of them will end up with injuries from the trip and being
crammed in with numerous other horses. Most likely they will encounter
lice, ticks, ringworm, broken bones and much worse.
Visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpx5x3ks_qw to understand this
process and exactly how close this is to home for all of us.
HOW TO HELP THE ARABIANS
Individuals interested in one of these horses can visit www.denkaisanctuary.org (http://www.denkaisanctuary.org/arabians.html) for a photo and profile of each horse. Photographs courtesy of Ray Reichley. If interested, contact Denkai at: info@denkaisanctuary.org or call (970) 895-2337. Individuals are encouraged to attend and bid on these horses in an attempt to get them to safety.
Denkai is exploring the option to purchase the horses back, thus giving the
Sanctuary brand inspection, i.e. ownership and the ability to adopt these
horses in to pre-screened homes.
This can happen with contributions totaling $7,000 to purchase them at
auction, average cost in this area runs .44 per lb. and a total of $22,000
that would cover costs for the next twelve months to house, train, and
adopt these eighteen horses into permanent homes. Denkai can not simply
just purchase these horses back without having the funding in place to care
for them. If the Sanctuary can raise a total of $29,000 by April 15, 2009,
this is a viable option.
There is no limit to what we can accomplish with your help for the animals.
Contributions toward these horses can be made to: Denkai Animal Sanctuary
36710 WCR 126
Grover, CO 80729
Or Via our website at:
www.denkaisanctuary.org, click any donation button.