EDMONSON COUNTY, KY AUGUST 2008

Horse Abuse Discovered in Edmonson County

Posted: 7:14 PM Sep 23, 2008

Reporter: Daniel KempEmail Address: mailto:daniel.kemp@wbko.com?subject=Horse

Kentucky is known as horse country.

It's the home of the Kentucky Derby, where some of the most beautiful horses in the world race every year.

But some say horse abuse in the state is becoming more common everyday.

One Caneyville woman says many horse owners simply don't want their animals anymore, and now they're going mistreated.

And she should know, she's caring for one.

Keila Edwards got a call a little more than a month ago about a horse named Copy, who she rescued after learning he had been neglected and abused by his owner in Edmonson County.

"He was a horse standing there with four bullet holes in his neck, skin stretched over his neck, and she said, 'You can't leave him, you've got to help him,'" Edwards explained. "This isn't her first rescue.

Edwards has done it with three horses before.
"I can't see them suffer or be mistreated, or being done this way."

But she says Copy's case is a crime that isn't getting justice.
"I've sent photos and contacted the sheriff's office, but no one's ever called me back and until this day no one's called me back," Edwards said.

One veterinarian says horse abuse is a problem that just keeps growing, especially in rural areas.
"Some of them and a lot of of them are young horses that people bought because they wanted to have a horse, but don't know what to do with it," explained Manuela Mattingly, owner of Twin Lakes Animal Hospital in Leitchfield.

"They can't afford to feed them because hay and fertilizer has went up," Edwards added. "Proper hay is $40 to $50 a roll and the horses aren't worth anything, so people think, 'Why should I feed this when I could be feeding cattle?'"

Edwards says Copy's life didn't start like this.
He's a Saddlebred that's taken awards.
"This horse used to be in a show ring. He's got saddlepoints. I was told an eight-year-old girl used to show him," Edwards said.

Now, Copy's just trying to regain strength to maybe one day return to his old self.
"The infection's going down. He's getting his energy back. He's actually feeling like a horse again."

Sheriff Mike Vincent, with the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, says the investigation regarding the previous owner of Copy, has been turned over to the Kentucky State Police.

WBKO

Update from WBKO

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NELSON COUNTY, KY OCTOBER 2007

Thoroughbred Trainer Pleads Guilty to Cruelty Charges
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by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: 9/12/2008 2:39:01 PM
Last Updated: 9/13/2008 3:10:10 PM

A Kentucky-based trainer has pleaded guilty to 16 counts of second-degree cruelty to animals charges resulting from an October 2007 incident in Nelson County, Ky.

Joseph D. “J.D.” Crescini, who signed the guilty plea Sept. 9, faces a recommended sentence of one year in jail, with 11 months suspended, and court costs. His sentencing in Nelson County District Court is scheduled for Oct. 21.

The charges stemmed from an Oct. 12, 2007 investigation by Nelson County Animal Control and local law authorities, who claim they found two dead horses and 12 “severely” undernourished horses – most believed to be Thoroughbreds -- at a property on Plum Run Road.
Crescini claimed to own the horses, according to a Nelson County Sheriff Department report, but denied they were neglected.

The report claims Crescini told deputies Thoroughbreds are “supposed to be skinny,” and that they “used to be on steroids, and now that they aren’t, they are withering away.”

When contacted by telephone Sept. 12, Crescini declined comment to The Blood-Horse.

Attempts to reach county attorneys affiliated with the case weren’t immediately successful.

Of the two horses found dead, one was found in a stall, and another outside the stall. The sheriff’s report said both appeared “to have been there awhile, and the second one had lime put on it.”

It is believed Crescini has been training in and around the Midwest since the early 1970s. Since 1980, Crescini is credited with 29 wins in 293 career starts, including one win in 18 starts in 2008, according to equinline.com.

Bloodhorse

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UPDATE:

On October 3rd, 2008 the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission ruled a two year suspension of J.D. Crescini's trainer's license.

On October 8th, 2008 J.D. Crescini appealed the decision.

Ruling and Appeal

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Animal Legal Defense Fund's Comment

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KNOX COUNTY, KY SEPTEMBER 2008

Neglected Dogs, Horses Found At Eastern Kentucky Home

Posted: 3:43 PM Sep 11, 2008

Neglected Animals Found At Home

They call it one of the worse cases of animal cruelty they've ever seen.

Animal control officials found several dogs and horses, some dead, others barely alive, outside a home.

The two people who live there now face several charges.
The gruesome discovery was made earlier this week at a home in the Jarvis community of Knox County.

While officials found several animals who were starving, they also found several dogs and horses who had already died.

The animals' remains were scattered throughout the property.

Many of the surviving animals had been tied up and were not able to get away.
24-year-old Earl Enlow and 22-year-old Melanie Rogers together face a total of 17 charges of animal cruelty.

Both have since bonded out of jail and have pleaded not guilty.
The animals taken from the property are now in the care of the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter.

WKYT

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LINCOLN COUNTY, KY MARCH 2008

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Starving Horses in Lincoln Co. on Road to Recovery


Posted: 4:49 PM Apr 7,

They were found barely alive on a Lincoln County farm.
But two weeks later, some once starving horses are doing much better.

Their owner said he couldn't feed them because he didn't have enough hay or money.

The horses have found new homes, and are well on the road to recovery.

It was a sad sight on a thoroughbred farm in Lincoln County two weeks ago.

There were 70 horses on one farm and officials say 12 of them were starving.

The owner blamed the drought leaving him without hay and lack of resources.

He agreed to give the horses up instead of facing charges.

Last month they could barley stand. But after some donations of feed and hay, these thoroughbreds returned to their natural element.

"They were just running for the joy of running," said Cathy Mitchum, with the Lincoln Co. Humane Society.

"They're racing horses and that's just what they do. It was so wonderful to see that."

Many of the problems can't be blamed just on the weather.

But now people are donating both money and feed to nurse these horses back to health.

"They have a long way to go," said Mitchum. "It will be six months at least just to get these horses back to health and several months after that to get back to their real selves."

One horse had to be put down.

Some are still gimpy and others are suffering from rain rot, similar to mange on a dog.
But with plenty of food and medicine, all are expected to fully recover.

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