Knowledgebase
Screaming Silence #845877
Asked August 16, 2023, 10:00 AM EDT
Montmorency County Michigan
Expert Response
Screaming Silence - definition
"When you know and see something that is blatantly wrong and no one is doing anything about it."
Case in point this thread. No reply or contact what so ever from ASK. The horses remain living in the inhumane world and the Screaming Silence is deafening.
Thanks for allowing,,,, uh,,,,, nothing.
~ P.H.
I apologize for not getting back to you sooner - I was on a family vacation last week without access to email.
Regarding your question, MSU is not a regulatory body and can only offer educational resources by request. According to your question thread, you have gone through the proper channels that I would suggest to address your concerns (Local Animal Control and MDARD).
Regulatory personnel may use MDARD's Generally Accepted Agriculture and Management Practices to evaluate a farm. GAAMPs can be found at:
https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/environment/rtf/gaamps
The Care of Farm Animals includes a section on equines that includes acceptable methods of shelter and care.
Manure Management/Utilization may also be relevant to your concerns.
Local authorities, like townships, usually decide the number of animal units per acreage, often influenced by the property status (Agriculture, Residential, or Commercial). These regulations can vary widely across the state.
In reviewing the images you sent of the mare and foal, both appear healthy. The mare has a body condition score of 4.5 - 5 (moderate - typical for a lactating mare with a large foal), and her foal also appears in good condition. The mare and foal's body condition suggests they can access adequate feed and water. While the foal's left hock seems to have a scab over a scrape wound on the outside, this would be common in an active foal. From the image, it appears to be healing well, with no swelling or pus to indicate infection. The rough hair coat is typical of a young foal. They will shed this coat as they grow. Both dam and foal are standing on green foliage in a dry area. Shelter for horses can include a tree line instead of a man-made structure. From the image, there appears to be a tree line in their turnout area that will provide shade and protection from wind.
I appreciate your advocacy for the animals in your neighborhood.
I appreciate your reply and at the same time apologize in the manner of my statement. My patience is wearing thin from many many moons of attempting some sort of rescue for these horses and other livestock.
The pictures I submitted of the mare and foal are really misleading, yes. They do show the condition of these 2 horses. which were seen for the first time at the time of their escape because they were 'hidden' behind the house with the bulk of the other horses, donkey's, a few bulls and cows , goats and other families of MaMa horses with their offspring. The view from the trail is limited with intent and reason.
Animal Control has yet to set foot behind the house and/or garage so their eye's are absent from viewing the true scope of the situation. This is what I refer to as a "voluntary ignorance" of the site. Unfortunately their reputation holds this as trues not only from my personal experience with them but many folks in our county feel likewise. In my opinion they are as useful as mascara on a catfish.
Problem is that they are the only avenue for any sort of responsibility which includes the non-involvement of the Alpena Human Society.. We are out of their area of jurisdiction..
You see, these photo's were taken only because they had escaped their enclosure that is in no way comparable to what is shown in the photo's. The nice leafy tree's and green grass is because they are in the neighbor's yard where they FINALLY got something green under their hooves and in to their bellies. As for the foal this is likely the first and only time it has had something other than manure under it's hooves. Reason being is that it's usual enclosure is literally nothing but manure and fallen tree's and branches. (shown in the images at the web site URL www.elkcapital.net/SummerHorseMotel_01)
The belly of MaMa does look nice and plump, solely due to the fact that hay has been available to them for the recent 2 months of so. Over the winter they has resorted to the tree bark and pulp of the tree to supplement the rationed hay over the winter. What used to be a steady supply of hay for all the livestock consisting of approximately 15 rounds of hay every 8-12 days for the usually food supply up until early winter of 2022.
That soon changed to approx 12 bails of hay sometimes up to 2 1/2 weeks before restock. Water was also rationed due to frozen water troughs. The tree's for shelter? Well the pics at the Horse Motel web sites say it best.
I'll stop now and hope the additional pictures showing the true state of the living situation is nothing like shown in the initial photo's provided.
As for the shape of the foal's legs I had spoken with a Horse midwife and she had noted that they strongly resemble the nip's and bites of other horses held in close quarters. Now, Mama had been put down due to a supposed animal attack that spooked her in to a tree that caused a "permanent blindness" along with lacerations from the electric fence wire that entangled her from being spooked. Now the foal must fend for itself seeing how MaMa was sent on her last journey.
We'll have to hope the courts may intervene as a trial date is set for Sept. 8th for violations of zoning and blight. As for the living things, they must continue to hang in there as they are been.
Thank you for your ear.
best regards,
Pete Hanson
Atlanta Michigan
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