31 horses rescued; 6 others euthanized near Oak Harbor

More than 30 horses Saturday found comfort at last in a Sandusky County Fairgrounds stable, blankets shielding their frail bodies from the cold and volunteers offering a steady supply of hay.

Some horses had open sores. Hip bones stuck out and ribs were countable under the horse blankets. "They're emaciated. Some of them, their eyes are glazed over," said Holly Simpson of Arabian Rescue Midwest in Galion, Ohio, who visited the stable. "They're gorgeous horses. The ones that still have energy put their nose to your face, wanting to say, 'Hi.' "It brought tears to your eyes," she said. "I just don't understand." The food, the blankets, and the care were a stark contrast to the farm from which they were taken between 3 p.m. Friday and 3:30 a.m. yesterday.

In a barn in Ottawa County's Carroll Township, near Oak Harbor, agents of the Humane Society of Ottawa County found 37 Arabian horses alive. One foal was dead. Six horses were in such poor shape that they were euthanized. The rest were taken to the fairgrounds.

"It's the most awful case I've been on and I've been doing this for a long time," said Nancy Silva, the society's humane officer. She said it was devastating to see horses dying because they had not received enough to eat.

No charges have been filed. Citing an ongoing investigation, Officer Silva did not identify the farm where the horses were taken or the person who owned them. The humane society was acting on anonymous reports of poor conditions at the farm. Officer Silva said the horses were taken to the Sandusky County Fairgrounds because it has facilities to accommodate the large number of horses. Officer Silva said she'd paid at least six visits to the farm over several years on complaints about the horses' care. Some were getting loose; one got stuck in a gate. She issued warnings. "I'm the only [humane] officer for the entire county," she added. The online Arabian horse community was abuzz with news of the rescue. Renee Hunt of Lincoln, Calif., near Sacramento, found out on Facebook. Several years ago, she sold her mare, Ambrozja, to a woman in Utah, who in turn placed the horse with the farm near Oak Harbor. "Arabian horse owners and horse owners in general keep close tabs on horses, and word gets out quickly when things go downhill," Mrs. Hunt said in a telephone interview. Mrs. Hunt was told that Ambrozja was going to the Arabian horse equivalent of a retirement home, where the mare "was going to be treated like a queen." For the last year, she'd heard through the horse community's grapevine of struggles at the farm. She last checked with Ambrozja's Ottawa County owner two weeks ago and received reassurance that the 25-year-old mare was "still happy and fat and sassy and spoiled," Mrs. Hunt recalled. Yesterday, on a Web site, she posted a plea for any information about Ambrozja. With no word hours later, she said by phone, "I'm on pins and needles right now." Then came the news: "Ambrozja did not make it," Mrs. Hunt wrote in an e-mail. "I am absolutely devastated right now," Mrs. Hunt wrote. "I just hope that the rest of the horses are able to recover and find quality homes." The Ottawa County case is far from unusual to those in the horse community, Mrs. Hunt said. She said that she has been called to testify in the upcoming trial of a northern California man from whom 17 horses were seized in 2007 because of neglect. "Horse keeping is very expensive," she said. With the poor economy, "some in the horse community have been hit especially hard the last few years. We've seen a lot of horses starved and neglected." Miss Simpson said Arabian Rescue Midwest encourages people to report signs of neglect to authorities. "Don't think it's not your business. You're the voice of the horse," she said. "It's everyone's responsibility." By last night, more than 50 people had volunteered at the Sandusky County Fairgrounds. "I can't say enough for the people in this county and even out of this county who have come to help these horses," Officer Silva said. The humane society can use donations of timothy hay and straw, Officer Silva said. Donations of money will be used for needs as they arise and to pay for veterinary care.