Starving horses rescued

January 24, 2009 by pamliconews

Clyde, 32 years old, is receiving rehabilitation care at a foster barn in Pitt County.

Cajun, a gelding age 6, is in poor condition.

Owners face cruelty charges

KATHY BOHANAN ENZERINK
PAMLICO NEWS STAFF

Michael and Jenny Ireland, charged with “Unlawfully and willfully did intentionally deprive of necessary sustenance an animal HORSES,” turned themselves in to law enforcement officers Tuesday night, Jan. 13. Warrants for their arrest, issued Saturday, Jan. 10 had not yet been served. Released on a Written Promise to Appear, the couple’s court date is Friday, Jan. 23. Two of their five horses are now in foster care.

In a statement released by County Manager Tim Buck Tuesday, Jan. 13, Animal Control Officer Trinity Smith and Derek Jordan with the Sheriff’s Department investigated a complaint call about the horses getting out of their pen. Upon arrival at Ireland’s property on Highway 55 in Reelsboro, they found three of the five horses in “apparent poor condition” and the other two plus a donkey in “acceptable condition.”

Representatives from the US Equine Rescue League, USERL, were at the scene ready to take custody of four horses they judged to be in poor condition. No action was taken because the Irelands advised Saturday, Jan. 10:

“ Two (2) horses in poor condition would be sold at auction Saturday morning… One (1) horse in poor condition would be euthanized… The last two (2) horses and the donkey would be relocated to a better pasture.”

At a follow-up visit Saturday morning by Smith, Jordan and USERL, there was no change in the status of the equines and donkey. Clyde and Angel, two of the horses in “apparent poor condition,” were surrendered by the Irelands to the Animal Control Officer who in turn “donated” them to the USERL representatives. The duo is being cared for in separate foster barns outside Pamlico County and as of press time, both were alive.

“Neither Angel nor Clyde seems to be going backwards,” said an USERL investigator.
The Irelands “relinquished ownership” of Cajun, the “third horse” deemed in “poor condition” by Smith to a third party “qualified and capable of providing the needed care,” according to Buck’s statement. The fourth horse determined to be in poor condition by USERL was left in the Irelands care.

Ownership of the “third horse” might be the subject of some conjecture.

Lacey Jones, who claims ownership, bought Cajun, the Sorrell Quarter Horse, Dec. 24, 2002 when he was two weeks old. According to Jones, she met Jenny Ireland at a horse show early in 2008 and agreed to “free lease” Cajun in April for one year. Ireland could ride Cajun any time in exchange for feeding and caring for him. There was no agreement to exchange money, said Jones.

By May or June, Jenny Ireland is to have said she wanted to buy Cajun and there is “a promissory note stating that whenever she paid me the $500 that she owed me, then I would send her his registration papers and he would be hers,” according to an email from Jones. “Jenny didn’t pay me that day and that was the last time I ever saw Jenny or Cajun,” wrote Jones.

A month ago, Jones said she received a call from Jenny Ireland who “wanted $2,500 or Cajun would be sold at auction,” because she was going to open a boarding and training barn and had “too many horses.”

Though Cajun was determined to be in “poor condition,” he was allowed to remain in the Irelands care. Saturday, Jenny Ireland “traded” Cajun to Allen Daniels and his wife in exchange for pasturing Rebel, Rocket and Dunkey the donkey, still in her care.
Daniels said the animals are fed twice daily, given hay and have constant access to fresh water. The newly constructed electric fence runs in front of the shelter, barring access during inclement weather. There are plans to convert the shelter into a protected area for the horses in the future.

According to Daniels, Jenny Ireland told him Clyde was skinny because he has a disease and the expensive medication wasn’t working. Although all the results from blood tests taken by the USERL from Clyde have not been received, there is no sign of disease.
“An old horse is skinny because it is not getting what it needs,” said an USERL investigator. “It needs proper care and nutrition.”

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