| Brad Chaltry is the head of the first rescue group called onto
the property. They were highly sought after by Kim Luce of
Jackson County Animal Control. They were called for 4 days
prior to seizure and hounded to come in to transport and provide
medical care for the horses.
When they arrived, they were astonished that they were even
called in to the farm. They were told by AC the horses had
been abandoned for 6 months in Michigan winter. They knew that
to be a lie just based on the condition of the herd. Too many
were in good healthy condition for them to have ever been abandoned
or starved.
Brad said that it appeared AC was doing everything possible to
starve the horses to make it look like an abuse situation. AC
left the property while Willie Cat (shelter worker) flooded the barn
and stalls with 8 inches of water! AC Officers left to kick
the door in at the owner's home with a search warrant to "find any
information relating to the ownership of the horses". The
ownership was never in question, no one else claimed ANY ownership interest in the animals.
Animal Control was simply trying to get their hands on the
registration papers to provide a dollar value to the horses!
What rescue of animals needs the papers? Isn't this suppose to
be about the CARE of horses, not how much they are worth?
Mr. Mercier had a truck load of round bales brought into the farm
on 3/21/07. It was testified to by Brad that AC put 1 round
bale out for 50 head of horses on the evening of 3/21/07 and left
the others up front where horses could not get to. Mr. Mercier
also witnessed this from outside the driveway! They then LEFT
those round bales out front for a couple of days.
The horses at the Turn-3 Ranch were being starved by Animal
Control at that point!
It was testified to that on 3/21/07 at approximately 6pm NO horse
on the property had water. Remember, Mr. Mercier was kicked
off the property at approximately 11 am 3/20/07.
So from 11 am 3/20/07 until 6pm 3/21/07 Turn-3 horses had little
if anything to eat or drink! The night of 3/20/07 the
temperature without wind chill was 18 degrees.
It was testified to by Brad that they "just couldn't take those
horses from those guys". They "have never refused an animal in
the years they have been doing this, but IT JUST WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
RIGHT to take those horses".
Turn-3 had never met the people from the
rescue group. They had no knowledge of each other prior to
Brad calling after seizure because of the INJUSTICE he felt was
happening. |
