Indiana Horse Rescue is the Equine Division of Animal Protection Coalition, Inc.

Navigate
APC Home
Canine Division
Education Division
Equine Division
Exotic Division
Feline Division

How to Help!
Adopt a Pet
Become a Member
Donate
Foster
Fundraising
Sponsor
Volunteer

News following the Gibson County Neglect Case
-WLFI-TV Lafayette, Indiana
-Tri-State Homepage.com
Read the Story
See the Video

Gibson County Horses Count
26 + 9 = 35 (in 2006)
15 + 1 = 16 (in 2007)
--------------
Total 51 horses

51 horses have been removed, however approximately 50 horses remain on the property in need of help NOW!

Can you help?

We need...

•  Grass Hay

•  Grain

•  Oats

•  Bleach

•  Anti Parasitic Products for internal and external parasites

•  Gauze

•  Vet Wrap

•  Antibiotic Ointments

• Money!

• Pine Shavings

• Straw Bedding

• Fly spray

• Fly Sheets

• Gate Panels

• Three Sided shelters

Prelude to Devastation

August 7, 2006 Gibson County Animal Services asked Indiana Horse Rescue for assistance on a large scale neglect case. We had no idea what we were about to walk into...

Stalls 3 foot high in manure and urine.
Buckets filled with free choice whole corn.
Putrid smelling water with tadpoles and rodent floating in them.
Horses with severely deformed hooves.

These were only a few of the horrible conditions that we witnessed.

Twenty-six horses were impounded that first day, August 2, 2006, four of which were humanely euthanized because of their devastating conditions. Nine more were impounded just a week later because no improvement had been made, two of which were euthanized because of permanent damage to their limbs.

The remaining estimated 120 horses appeared to be healthy and did not show evidence of neglect. 

One would think that this would be a wake up call to the owner to shape up. One would think that a man under so much scrutiny would learn his lesson. One would think that if a man couldn't take care of his horses, he would sell them or take them to auction.

One would think...

Gibson County Nightmare
Continued...

May 25, 2007 we got a phone call. Gibson County Animal Services had a complaint about the Stallings farm once again. They were asking for our assistance.

When we arrived at the farm on May 26, 2007, our hearts SANK!

Although conditions in the barn had improve slightly, some stalls were no longer 3 foot high, the horses' body conditions had depleted further than anyone had expected.

Pregnant mares ready to deliver with tailbones, ribs, and hips sticking out.
Starved mares with sucklings at their sides begging for milk and their mothers shoving them away.
Newborn foals stuck out in sandlots with no shade to get out of the sun and no water for their dehydrated mothers to drink.
A dead foal laying among the weeds half eating by the farm dogs.
An injured horse with gangrene engulfing his leg from a 10 day old injury that was left to heal itself.

Fifteen horses were impounded that evening and at 7:00 AM May 27, 2007 a foal was born from one of the starved pregnant mares. The mare was very weak, she had to have assistance to deliver the foal. The foal, a filly that has been christened Miracle has been given $300.00 artificial colostrum to booster her immune system since the mare had nothing but watery milk to provide for the foal. The foal is now stable, however the mare has made a turn for the worse and seems to be giving up.

We left approximately 50 horses that are in desperate need of help now! We can not house all of these horses plus the horses that we currently house at our rescue facilities. We are in need of foster homes to house our current rescue horses. We are in need of donations, money, hay, feed (especially for growing foals and their lactating mothers), vet wrap, gauze, and so much more. 

The plan is to go back in two weeks, with your help we can save them all. If we can move our horses to temporary foster homes and if we can raise enough money for transport we can achieve our goal of ending this horrible cycle of neglect.

If YOU can help in any way please contact Indiana Horse Rescue at (765) 659-5209 or e-mail inrescue@indianahorserescue.com

If you would like to make a donation please send it to:

Indiana Horse Rescue
916 S. Prairie Ave.
Frankfort, Indiana 46041

or you can click on the button below to make a secure donation through PayPal:

Images from top to bottom: a mare from the impound August 7, 2006; a starved mare with her foal that was impounded May 26, 2007; remaining carcass of a foal found on property May 26, 2007; a starved mare from the property; a leg injury on a gelding that was impounded May 26, 2007, below is a photo of a starved mare with long hooves that was impounded May 26, 2007.

Thanks!

We would like to thank all of our volunteers for their amazing support through this neglect case. We would like to thank Brenda Foley, the staff and volunteers of Gibson County Animal Services, and the Gibson County Sheriffs Department for their help and dedication to saving these wonderful horses! We would also like to thank all of the individuals that took the time to transport these horses in need!

God bless you all!

Gibson County Nightmare! - Updates 6/5/07