Humane Society Rescues 84 Neglected Horses

Posted:

Charles Howland

Clint Howland

By Chris Cannon

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee State Fairgrounds became a make-shift horse hospital Tuesday night for 84 neglected horses taken from a farm in Cannon County.

"This was just an amazing rescue effort, so many people came together," said Leighann McCollum of the Human Society of the United State's Tennessee office.

Veterinarians will visit each animal in the horse barn to document its condition and to give the horses much needed medical care.

"They have to have their blood pulled and various exams done, various tests done before we can move them off this property to rescues," said McCollum.

Workers and volunteers with the Humane Society were in Cannon County on Tuesday, rescuing more than 80 horses in deplorable conditions. Help came too late for some of the animals.

Officials found at least 15 dead horses and 80 others in extremely poor conditions.

"They [the horses] always come over here and eat our grass and stuff because they never have anything to eat over there," said neighbor David Hulsey.

The horses Hulsey saw in his yard were the ones in better shape.

"Pure case of animal cruelty and neglect, I mean we are talking about horses that are literally starving to death as we speak," said Scotlund Haisley, Humane Society of the U.S.

A search and seizure warrant allowed rescuers and volunteers to take the horses away to safety.

"I consider, my team considers it a great honor to be able to look into the eyes of 84 horses back here and honestly make them the promise that their suffering ends today," said Haisley.

The Cannon County Sheriff's Department arrested father and son, Charles Gene Howland and Clint Howland. Each face 84 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

The Humane Society took the horses to the state fairgrounds because no other facility in Middle Tennessee could house the sickly animals.

"They'd still be suffering on that property right now. We just wouldn't have a place to take them. We called every barn in Middle Tennessee and couldn't find a place to put them," said McCollum.

Fairgrounds staff members are looking for supplies to help nurse the horses back to health. They need horse bedding, quality hay and feed for the horses.

Late Tuesday Gene Howland surrendered all his animals to the Humane Society, including eight dogs, two goats and two chickens from the property.

Plans for adoption of the animals should be worked out by next week.

Tennessee State Fairgrounds donation information: 615-862-8980
The Humane Society of the United States adoption information: http://www.humanesociety.org/

email: ccannon@newschannel5.com