West TN horses...
Sheriff's Dept called this morning. They have a warrant to remove 3 horses and an unknown number of dogs from a home in my town. I have nowhere to put the dogs, but I agreed to take the horses. The owner is expected to sign a surrender form for the animals, but the deputy said they won't know for certain of course until it really happens. The local ag extension agent rated the horses a "2." If you knew our area, you'd understand that's really bad, because the ext agent & deputies never want to get involved. I don't really need help with this, but if anyone is available, I'll certainly accept any offers, primarily picking up the horses since I'm supposed to work the day they're going... I can cancel work but I really need the $$, especially since I'll be taking on these guys. Mostly, I just need moral support. And suggestions if you have any. I know I posted earlier about contracts and such, but I always get nervous when I get a call.... it's just me here, no help, so it gets "lonely" and frustrating. mom2bbjandag

Email me privately. We have some contacts in West Tennessee who might be able to help. I'll need to know what county.

Done! Help is heading you way. Thanks for caring for the horses.

Thank YOU! I'm so glad I met you and have made some contacts. Hopefully in the future I can be of help to HHT! Paula mom2bbjandag

:x Well the search was put off Monday b/c the deputy who lined it all up forgot they have circuit court every third Monday... how he's been a deputy for six years and couldn't remember that, I'll never understand. I want to just whack them on the forehead sometimes, but I can't. Just 5 years ago the sheriff's dept would have laughed in my face if I'd suggested they attempt to remove some horses from a farm, so I'll gladly take whatever I can get. Our rural deputies are still learning, and so am I. I had to call Jennifer on her way to transport them for me and tell her to just turn around. The deputy said we'd do it tomorrow (Tue). Now he's called and said they're calling it off indefinitely because the man is going to fight it -- no voluntary surrender -- and he's got a lawyer who has informed the DA that the horses must be surrendered to a humane society or rescue only, not to an individual. I'm not running my own formally organized rescue, so I had to give on that count. I have, however, contacted West TN Animal Rescue to see if they'd branch out into equine rescue and do the paperwork on these guys so we can get them out. I can still foster, as I'm already fostering dogs for WTAR. I'll keep you all posted on how this goes... looks like it'll be a slow, drawn-out process. mom2bbjandag

Sorry I didn't get with you sooner, internet down all night and no power from the storm. I'll call you this morning and we'll get this taken care of.

Glad to talk with you this morning, Nina. I was trying to keep my voice down so I wouldn't wake all this kids, but I had been up since 6 "my time" so you didn't wake me. You mentioned in our conversation new laws that went into effect on July 1. Can you provide links to them? I'll try to get time to look at TCA sometime today but if you have them already downloaded or linked that would be great. I'm familiar with older laws and have them saved on my computer, so I need to update and be able to quote them as well. THANK YOU for all your help! Paula

*raises hand* I'm also unaware of the new laws that came into effect on July 1st and would like a link to them so I can abreast of whats going on please.

1 PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 128 SENATE BILL NO. 1190 By Black, Marrero Substituted for: House Bill No. 914 By Maggart, McDonald, Lynn, Sontany, Odom, Todd AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 2, relative to the posting of security in animal abuse prosecutions. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-14-210, is amended by inserting the following language between the first and second sentences of subsection (g) of the amendatory language of Section 1: However, if the court determines that a person from whom the posting of security has been requested is indigent pursuant to title 40, chapter 14, part 2, the court may suspend the posting of any security pending the disposition of the criminal charges. SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-14-210, is amended by inserting the following between the fifth and sixth sentence of subsection (g): If the person from whom the animal is seized is the owner of the animal and such person has not posted the security ordered pursuant to this subsection within fifteen (15) business days following the issuance of a security order, the animal shall be deemed to have been abandoned and shall be forfeited to the governmental animal control agency or humane society for disposition in accordance with reasonable practices for the humane treatment of animals. However, if the person from whom the animal was seized is not the owner of the animal and such person has not posted the court-ordered security within fifteen (15) days, the court shall order the governmental animal control agency or the humane society to make all reasonable efforts to determine who the owner of the animal is and to notify such owner of the pending proceeding. No animal shall be deemed to have been abandoned and forfeited to the governmental animal control agency or humane society until reasonable attempts to determine and notify the owner have been made. If the owner of the animal cannot be located after reasonable efforts or the owner is located and notified but does not post, within ten (10) business days, the court-ordered security plus the costs reasonably incurred by the governmental animal control agency or humane society for housing and caring for the animal since its seizure, the animal shall be deemed to have been abandoned and shall be forfeited to the governmental animal2 control agency or humane society for disposition in accordance with reasonable practices for the humane treatment of animals. SECTION 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007, the public welfare requiring it. PASSED: April 30, 2007 APPROVED this 10th day of May 2007

This actually went into effect July of last year. Of course it was 2 days after the 20 horse Blountville case went down. :-(

Ahhh, then I'm farther behind than I thought. Or, I saw it but filed it away in the back of my mind b/c I had no intention of getting back into rescue. Well, we see how that's going! Thank you for sharing. I did find those articles after I posted, but what I had on file was not the same as I found online, so I have now updated. AND, the local humane society decided to get involved with these horses (very surprisingly) and they have been removed and are in the care of a fellow rider. The humane society had been contacted previously but never responded, but since this was getting a lot of publicity I suppose they decided to jump in. But I rant.... I'm truly just thankful someone helped out, regardless of their agenda!

Ok I did know about this amendment but thanks for posting it again anyway!