Office Emily Diaz of the Skagit County Sheriff's Office filled me in on the facts of the Skagit County case reported on by KOMO Television.

The Facts

There were five horses involved, although only three were found on the property. The fourth was the deceased mare, Slew City Gem, whose body was dumped in a ravine "out in the boonies." A fifth horse was boarded outside the county.

The three horses found on the property were in extremely poor condition ranging from a 1.5 to a 2 on the Hennecke scale (a body scoring condition developed at the University of Texas and used by most law enforcement agencies in cruelty cases).

One was Tuker, the horse who was bought from Swag Racing, the stables of Keith Swagerty, a prominent race horse owner based in Auburn. He bought Tuker as a yearling at the Washington Breeders Sale. Swagerty also bred Slew City Gem, the mare whose body was dumped. Because she had been dead for up to two weeks when the body was examined, a necropsy could not conclusively identify the cause of death. Consequently the woman cannot be charged with neglect in her case. Whether she was just saving the rendering truck fee or concealing evidence from prying eyes, dumping a carcass is a violation that the health authorities may pursue. Tuker has been reclaimed by Swag Racing. Obviously they are tremendously upset about his condition and about the death of Slew City Gem, from the comments of trainer Melody Slocum.

The second horse, Ellie, is now with People Helping Horses in Arlington for rehabilitation and eventual adoption. She had no tattoos or papers that would identify her as a thoroughbred.If you would like to make a donation to help Ellie, the mare who is now in rescue, you can visit their website, People Helping Horses.

The third horse was Smoke, whose owner did all the right things. She had a contract with the buyer, did a site visit, had extensive conversations with her and had remained in contact with her. She told Officer Diaz that she was planning her normal follow-up visit, but would never have imagined that things could get this bad this quickly.

How did that happen? "Lets just say in the 2.5 month period, the horses dropped 200-250 lbs each. There was no grass –they were in a sand corral and a paddock about 15 feet by 30-40 feet and used to have grass, but was then all mud." Officer Diaz said. Whatever they were fed, it was not even remotely adequate.

The Aftermath

Now the horses are no longer at immediate risk. Hopefully they can recover their weight without lasting ill effect. As for what will happen to the woman, Officer Diaz stated, "I am planning in charging her with 3 felony counts of animal cruelty."

The penalty for these charges is up to 5 years in prison with a fine of up to $10,000. Unfortunately, most cases get plea bargained out, even when they receive considerable publicity, and the parties involved have learned very little.

What You Can Do

Extreme cases of neglect can at least serve to raise general awareness and encourage people to make a call on situations before they turn into such utter disasters. The message Officer Diaz would like to get out is to pick up the phone, even if you only suspect neglect or abuse. "I have so many people who apologize, who feel like they are wasting my time. If there is an animal you think is suffering, by all means, call."

Officer Diaz gets over 1200 calls a year. She has worked for the Skagit County Sheriff's Office for three years, and handles cases that fall outside the jurisdiction of the various municipal agencies. She is the sole person employed by the County itself in the area of Animal Control.

Still, she tries to follow up on each of the calls. Officer Diaz has worked with horses herself since she was 9, so she has some judgment as to the knowledge level of the people she visits. "Often it is a matter of education," she says. Ideas about horse care can differ widely, but adequate feed, farrier care, fencing and available shelter are more easily defined, and sometimes people respond to information.

In other cases, people are simply strapped for cash because they have lost their job or are in some other difficulty. If she does not suspect any deliberate cruelty or extended neglect, Officer Diaz carries something in her car that can help -- vouchers from an agency based in Sedro Wolley, Ripley's Horse Aid Foundation, which provide 30 days feed for horses whose owners are in temporarily distressed situations. The organization will provide further support if the owners manage to rehome half of the horses they are caring for in six months. A little temporary assistance can sometimes avert a crisis and ensure that the horses are not endangered. Only animal control officers can give out the vouchers.

She also gets information from veterinarians, although they are not legally required to report suspected abuse or neglect. In fact some refuse to provide information, although there is no legal doctor/client privilege in veterinary practice. She does try and keep the name of the vets out of it, to protect them from any retaliation or fallout.

Although not all cases result in prosecution, many do. Officer Diaz seized 40 horses last year. She tries to file charges in every actionable case, even if it never gets before a judge.

Just what is and what is an actionable case, is a subject in itself, and one she spends considerable time researching, since the animals she is called on involve all kinds of animals, not just cats, dogs and horses.. For now, suffice it to say, this definitely is one she is taking action on.

If you would like to report a potential neglect or cruelty situation in Skagit County or elsewhere, the Paws Website provided the following list of contact numbers.

KING COUNTY
King County Animal Services Information Line -- 206.296.7387
Seattle Animal Control -- 206.386.PETS (7387)

PIERCE COUNTY
Tacoma Animal Care and Control -- 253.627.PETS (7387)
Buckley Police (Animal Control) -- 360.829.3157
Pierce County Animal Control (unincorporated) -- 253.798.7387 (also lists numbers for cities in Pierce County)
Metro Animal Services (Bonney Lake, Edgewood, Puyallup and Sumner) -- 253.841.5595

SKAGIT COUNTY
Skagit County -- 911 in an emergency, 360.428.3211 (dispatch office) for non-emergencies
Skagit County Sheriff's Office -- 360.336.9450

SNOHOMISH COUNTY
Brier Police -- 425.775.5452
Edmonds Animal Control -- 425.771.0205
Everett Animal Control -- 425.257.6000
Lynnwood Police (Animal Control) -- 425.744.6982
Mukilteo Police (Animal Control) -- call 911 to dispatch an officer (office # to ask questions about animal control services -- 425.353.8222)
Snohomish Police Department -- call 911 to dispatch an officer (office # to ask questions about animal control services -- 360.568.0888)
Snohomish County Animal Services -- 425.388.3440