A Different Sort of Rescue Story.........The Backlash Continues

I wish I could say that this story ends here but that is certainly not the case. At this time Hope for Horses still has a number of horses from the Waller Road seizure. One of those horses was euthanized at some point and the others are still needing homes. The former owners have yet to stand trial for their neglect of this herd of 15 horses and my county still has "issues" to deal with in regard to their handling of abused or neglected horses.

There was another horse summit held for Pierce County in Gig Harbor this time. Concerned citizens at both summits volunteered their services to help the county made appropriate decisions in the care of needy horses. The county seemed reluctant to employ these resources at this time.

As election time rolled around the tension mounted. There were enough horse people riled up over the handling of this Waller Road case to keep the heat on county officials. Rose Corey wrote the following Letter to the Editor of the Eatonville Dispatch McCarthy's Haywire Horse Summit as the Pierce County Auditor, Pat McCarthy, began running for Executive of Pierce County Council. With the possibility of a county contract going to Hope for Horses, things were definitely heating up.

In December a group of concerned citizens adressed the County Council regarding a plan by the Council to establish a horse rescue case management network. At the center of the citizens concern was Pat McCarthy (now the newly elected Executive of Pierce County)m her Animal Control officers and the participation of Hope for Horses in the "rescue" of the Waller Road neglect case. Further concern was the perception that the County would strengthen its relationship with Hope for Horses as the county began the process of seeking bids for future horse rescue situations.

Horse Rescuers Voice Concerns appeared in the Eatonville Dispatch. Again this article was written by Bruce Smith who by this time one could say had clearly taken on the cause of needy and neglected horses in our county.

The actual testimony given to the Pierce County Council and related correspondence are here Video Testimony (Dr. Hagerman, George Wearn)

Dr. Hagerman letter submitted to the Council

Email from Rose Corey to Pat McCarthy and PC Council

This would be where things left off in December of 2008. One year after the first two horses had been seized from the Waller Road site. But even at this, it was not the rest of this story.



To be continued............