Horses at Port Dickson

DVS Checking out the Pony

Nursing a bloody hangover I limped my way to Port Dickson to verify a cruelty report. Did I really have to drink that last vodka neat? We were met by DVS Negeri Sembilan and the Chairperson of the Negri Sembilan SPCA. When we first saw the animals they were standing under the shade waiting for customers (hum not sure that turn of phrase sounds right. Makes them sound like sex workers). There were one horse and two ponies. The horse was a TB poss. ex race and the ponies were indigenous Malaysian ponies. All were on the thin side but not in such horrific condition as to warrant seizure. On questioning it was found that min. care was being administered i.e. they were fed twice a day with some evidence of grooming although their feet condition was not great. The horse had cracked hooves and one of the ponies had possible signs of founders. The DVS gave the handlers a warning to feed the horse and ponies with more food, have water always near them and to get their feet checked.  It seems they bring them in from Malacca for pony rides then bring them back to Malacca when the weekend is over. This explains why the horses kept disappearing! It was decided that we might as well check the Ranch anyway just to make sure that all the horses were okay and these weren't the better conditioned ones at the Ranch. The handlers were not very forthcoming when we tried to find out more about the Ranch. Maybe we should have bribed them:) What we did manage to get was the owner's name and the area where the Ranch is but not the exact address. We are going to locate the ranch and the owners and work at it from that angle. 

Yay! Breakthrough with Ranch A

It seems all the whining to FEI worked. I just heard that EAM called up DVS HQ and apparently on instruction from the FEI to find out what is happening at Ranch A. They want a full report and action plan. The meeting is scheduled for Monday at 2:30 and am hoping to be able to sit in on this as flight hopefully without any delays gets in at noon. After month of badgering this is the best news I have heard. Finally things seem to be moving along. 

Am a little nervous to be honest flying down to Sabah. This is my first cruelty case and I am bit scared about how DVS is going to threat me. I hope they not hostile. Plus its likely that I will see the owner and bit scared about that too. If he shouts at me I may cry as am a bit wet at the end of the day. But I think I will be angry enough to shout back. Actually I am! I just don't want it to be like that. Want to be cool calm and rationale so that we can sort this mess out. 

Buying time in Sabah

Just heard the news that Ranch A owners are selling off their horses from RM 500 to RM 10 000 which is disgraceful as they are half dead. In any case, it is likely that SPCA will be going down on Monday to try to verify the truth and will try to buy as many as our budget will allow and do whatever is necessary be it putting them down or to rehabilitate them. The situation is not ideal and we do loathe to put money in their hands but we are really not sure how else to get the horses out. Sometimes it is sickening to see animal abusers go scot free but in such extreme cases the animals' welfare is more important and outweighs other considerations. They should not have to suffer unduly any longer. Ideally it would be prefect if there were some kind of criminal proceedings against them or if there is some boycott that they are not to own horses for x number of years or forever. But currently as it stands its rather sad in that we have no guarantee once we buy them that the money will not be used to purchase other horses and we won't find ourselves in the same situation 5 years down the road. Exactly what we were trying to avoid in the first place. Of course all this can be remedied by the DVS acting responsibly by pursuing this as a cruelty case but as they not and we have given them their requested 3 months we might as well treat as many as we can financially support and rehome the suitable ones. The owners clearly deserves to be prosecuted.

Starting Up

Decided last night to set up a blog so that I can keep track and remember everything that goes down.

On Saturday we are off for an inspection at Port Dickson – what we have termed the case of the disappearing horses. It’s almost like they have an internal body clock. SPCA coming! Hide the horses! Why can't that damn pony fit in the feed bin? Honey get the chain saw will ya?

I do hope this time we do find them as the first time we saw them they looked a little thin and the handlers did promise to start feeding them hay as opposed to only grass as the handler said he did not know that grass had no nutritional value. If anything at least we can have a leisurely lunch at Pork Dickson watching the unpolluted waves lick the pristine beach. Who knows by Saturday afternoon they could be the first residents of the Centre or they could be glue depending on their condition. Or they could be fine. Who knows? We could always go back and glue the owners to their stable doors with that said same glue as a karmic punishment.

So what is next that I need to write down and sort out in my brain? There is Ranch A in Sabah but I think I might leave that sieving for a moment. I feel a little like Dumbledore and his pensive.

Lets start with the situation at a Country Club

Country Club A in KL

We received a report via email about two horses in very sorry condition. The owner agreed to put down one horse and promised to increase the level of care for the other horse. Management promised to keep tabs on how the horse is doing and from time to time report back to the SPCA on this. The latest news (Jan 2008) is that the horse is being fed by the club pending legal action by the club for unpaid bills. Once the judgement is given in April 2008 they will have control of the horse in which case Selangor SPCA will take over the welfare of the horse.

Ranch A

Okay I suppose now its time to move onto that never-ending saga that is Ranch A. It is common knowledge that the horses there are in very distressing condition in stables that are below standard.

We first received a report on 22 June 2007. SPCA immediately contacted the Department of Veterinary Services (" DVS") in Sabah who made a trip to investigate, on June 26th who which subsequent to our report received a report of a horse carcass decaying on the beach.

We underlined that the willful neglect is tantamount to cruelty and urged the DVS to take immediate action to save the horses and charge the owner for cruelty. After the 26th June 2007 inspection carried out by DVS it was reported to the SPCA that one horse had died and four have collapsed. That the situation is dire was confirmed by DVS, Sabah and that the main problem at the Ranch is starvation.

On 26 June DVS Sabah began feeding the horses with hay. SPCA offerred to assist in providing immediate medical attention then but a vet, who visited the Ranch last year, had feedback from the owner that they are not willing to accept any assistance-thereby limiting our info and contact with this case. It certainly looks like the horses are left to die in horrendous and pitiful conditions.

Since the June report was received the Selangor SPCA has actively called for stronger action against the owner via phone calls and media including a letter to the current chief minister for prosecution and seizure so that the animals can be put down and/or rehabilitated. Unfortunately, response to this has been minimal. All public (which includes the Selangor SPCA) is barred from entry to this place, with the DVS promising to check on this place at 3 months intervals. This was a less than satisfactory situation however the plus side is that the DVS is monitoring the situation.

We therefore left the situation alone especially when it was alluded that further meddling could result with Malaysia losing its rights to hold the World Endurance Games which we found a little unfair. One act of cruelty does not amount to an entire nation’s apathy towards animals and whether this threat was a real possibility is not something we know.

On the 18th Jan 2008 we received updated photos from the Ranch and it was awful. The lack of follow up and substantive action by DVS Sabah is abysmal. We have constantly reiterated that Selangor SPCA will support the DVS Sabah with food, vet and medical bills however the horses must no longer be in the owner's control for us to be able to do anything. It makes no sense for the owner to retain control of the horses while we are feeding the horses FOC.

Johore

At least this last report has a nice story. We received a report from Johore SPCA about two horses in near collapse condition. On inspection by the Johore SPCA it was found that there was only one horse. In that situation, Noah’s Arc very kindly took in the horse at no cost to Selangor SPCA and is currently rehabilitating this horse and the horse is happily wondering around Noah's Arc.

Riding School Z in Report Frasers Hill

We received a report early this year about horses in Frasers Hill in bad condition. Apparently their ribs and bones were showing drastically, and their legs were under - weight. We have as yet been unable to verify but a kindly vet has promised to go there himself and take a look.

So although slow we have been moving along and although not as effective as we would like to be we are making baby steps and hopefully this year will prove to be a productive year for the SubComittee.