Give us back our horses'

By DON PLANT The Daily Courier

Residents have launched a petition after the SPCA seized a popular horse and her colt from a neighbourhood pasture

People living along Scotty Creek Road are demanding that SPCA staff return the animals.
They claim the owners treat the 25-year old mare well and that shelter officials have exaggerated the ailment afflicting her. "The SPCA really acted inappropriately," said Kitt Vogelsang, who started the petition in the Scotty Creek area. "They forced her, with a limp, into a trailer. They had a hell of a time getting the colt in there. This is just short of modern horse thievery." Other neighbours complained to the SPCA that the mare, named Holly, was limping and experts should look into it. Brad Kuich, an SPCA cruelty investigator, took the horses into custody on Sept. 10 after calling in a veterinarian to examine Holly

"We found one of the horses was in critical distress and suffering from laminitis (inflammation of tissue in the foot)," Kuich said. "The vet said the horse was in a tremendous amount of pain and would need ongoing treatment, so we'd have to take the animal off the property." Owners Idella and Frank Schwab, both 73, were incensed by the seizure. They say Holly only began limping Sept. 9. They cleaned out her hoof and applied liniment the next morning

Once the vet had examined Holly that afternoon, SPCA staff arrived to haul the animals away in a trailer

Since then, the Schwabs have had several conversations with Kuich but still don't know how to get their horses back. They've called a lawyer to prevent the SPCA from adopting them out to new owners

"That horse has never been sick or lame a day in her life," said Idella Schwab

"Since laminitis is treatable, why don't they give us a chance to treat the horse? ... We could have treated that horse right where she was." The couple claims they can hire their own vet to assess Holly, but no one will tell them where she's being kept. They haven't been told how to appeal the seizure or what conditions they must fulfil to get the horses back

Legally, the SPCA can dispose of the animals by Thursday, two weeks after it presented the Schwabs with a deposition on the seizure. Kuich said he's aware they want the horses back and they don't need to panic

"We won't dispose of the animals until this is resolved," he said. "We had a number of complaints from neighbours about these horses. We do something about it and they complain about what we do. It's a catch-22. We're trying to do the best we can for these animals." Kuich also plans to question the Schwabs about the two studs they keep. One is tethered and the other is confined to a pen

Idella said they tethered one stud because neighbourhood dogs or coyotes scared the animal and forced it to jump a fence onto the road. The other must be separated from the first male or they'll fight to the death

The first stud has room to lie down and enough food to eat, said pasture-owner Doreen Corlazzoli. "The SPCA is a worthwhile society, but what they're doing to us and the owners is terrible. It's like a nightmare," she said. "These animals are not mistreated." Holly's condition was unknown Monday. Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the Schwabs must pick up the tab for treating Holly and her seven-weekold colt if the SPCA returns them, Kuich said.

The mare and foal before seizure on September 10, 2003...