A group of five Graham-area horse rescuers spoke at last week's Pierce County Council meeting to voice their concerns regarding a pending plan by the Auditor's Office to establish a horse rescue case management network. The Pierce County Auditor oversees the county's animal control department, and is directly responsible for organizing rescues when horses are neglected or abused.

At the heart of the group's concern is their perception that the county will strengthen its relationship with a controversial horse-rescue outfit Hope for Horses.  The county is currently seeking bids from horse-rescuing organizations to conduct boarding, transportation, medical services and evidentiary case management in horse rescues, and the Graham group is strongly opposed to awarding the contract to Hope for Horses.

At center stage in their complaint is the role played by Pierce County Auditor Pat McCarthy and her Animal Control officers, and the participation by Hope for Horses in rescuing fifteen profoundly neglected horses from a two-acre mud pit on Waller Rd. in early January, 2008.

Dr. Linda Hagerman, an equine veterinarian from Spanaway who participated in the rescue, said she was angry and disappointed at how the Auditor, Animal Control and Hope for Horses "carried out their mission."  She also added that "the Animal Control officers on this case displayed a grave lack of training in proper equine care."

As for Hope for Horses, Hagerman wrote in a letter to the Council that she was "appalled" at the care they administered to the two most seriously-injured horses.  She claimed an Arabian stallion with an infected penis was worse off after a two-month stay at Hope for Horses.

Hagerman told the council, "Jenny Edwards, the woman who runs Hope for Horses, is not a good choice."

George Wearn, a Graham resident, went further and charged Hope for Horses with padding its invoices to the county in a prior horse-rescue case.

"They billed Pierce County for boarding the horses for fifteen months, but the horses were fostered out to other farms for ten of those months."

Wearn also drew attention to the fact that Hope for Horses is based in Snohomish County.

"Pierce County dollars should stay in Pierce County," he said.

Rose Corey, an equine Good Samaritan who cared for and treated two of the Waller Rd. horses while Animal Control made arrangements with Hope for Horses, delivered a hefty packet of documents to the council [see below] that were said to reveal some shady aspects of Hope for Horses dealings.  Included was a letter from Secretary of State Sam Reed that showed Hope for Horses was under review for improper solicitation of charitable donations.

The closing date for submitting proposals for horse-rescue management was Dec. 12.  The county says it will begin negotiations with a selected proposer by Dec. 19, with the execution of the contract anticipated by Dec. 31, 2008.

As for whether Pat McCarthy, the new County Executive, makes that selection or the County Council does, it is typical for contracts that exceed one million dollars to be decided by the County Council, whereas smaller amounts are determined by the County Executive.

Bruce Smith, Eatonville Dispatch
published December 17, 2008
 

DOCUMENTS, VIDEOS and DISCUSSION FORUMS

 

Testimony to Pierce County Council
  12-09-08 - A) Video Testimony (Dr. Hagerman, George Wearn)
                      and Documents submitted by Rose Corey to the Council
                  B) Dr. Hagerman letter submitted to the Council
                  C) Email from Rose Corey to Pat McCarthy and PC Council


Eatonville Dispatch Articles (newest to oldest):
  12-17-08 - Horse rescuers voice concerns
  08-06-08 - McCarthy's haywire Horse Summit (Rose Corey's letter to the editor)
  04-30-08 - Teddy Bear is back!
  04-30-08 - Horses, Lies and video tape (George Wearn's letter to the editor) 
  04-23-08 - Over 200 attend Horse Summit
  04-14-08 - Hope For Horses refutes Corey's treatment claims

  04-09-08 - Equine good samaritan reunited with her horse
  03-19-08 - Stymied by County, Graham good samaritan purchases abused horse
  01-30-08 - County pulls abused horses out of foster care, causing uproar
  01-23-08 - Abused horses improving
  01-16-08 - Hope for Horses rides to the rescue


Discussion Forum:
  Delphi Forums "Information Concerning Equine Rescues" discussion
  YouTube comments (once there, scroll for comments)