I have carefully considered my topic for this quarter’s newsletter. Over the more than ten years that I have been President of GERL, I have worked successfully to build a working relationship between GERL and the Equine Division of Georgia Department of Agriculture. During that time, I realized that simply to rescue horses in need will never FIX the horse problems in our state and in our nation. That is why I spent hours upon hours researching and developing a “Get Well Plan” to address the problem on multiple levels. Of course, there are many horses in need of rescue TODAY and rescue must be available for them until the “Get Well Plan” becomes reality. If you are not familiar with this plan, it can be found on the GERL website. It has been presented to GDA personnel, law enforcement personnel, other rescue organizations and in Georgia as well as other states, time and time again.
While I have always tried to present my thoughts concerning GERL’s partnership with GDA in a positive light, recent developments have caused me to feel less positive and I think our members are entitled to know about my concerns.
Imagine my shock and dismay to learn that the GDA Inspectors no longer perform welfare checks on the horses that are sold in their periodic auctions. These are horses that have already been mistreated to the point where they had to be taken into the GDA impound barn. They were rehabilitated and then sold at very low prices, often to people of such low economic status that they really shouldn’t own horses anyway! Thus, for many of the horses, the cycle starts all over again. Is GERL asking too much, after paying for feed and vet care for these horses through their rehabilitation period (often three months or more), for the GDA Inspectors to be allowed to check on them to ensure that they are being adequately cared for by their new owners?
Disheartened is the word I will use to describe how I felt upon learning this news. I have experienced that feeling many times over the years as I learned of the many ways horses are abused by uncaring owners. I know that, even if I cannot succeed in getting this situation reversed, it is up to me to represent the mission of GERL to “the powers that be”.
I believe in direct communication, so I felt that my first action should be to call Mark Murra, Animal Protection Manager for GDA, whom I understood was responsible for the decision to discontinue the welfare checks. While I have never felt I had any right to concern myself with the decision-making processes within GDA, I felt very deeply that this was a decision that would lead directly to harm for some already compromised horses and, at the same time, show total lack of respect for the hard work done by GERL to raise money to support GDA’s Equine Program. After sharing my concerns with Mark, the bottom line is that he refused to reverse his decision. In fact, as our conversation continued, he revealed that it was his intent to shut down the Mansfield Impound which would leave only the two prison impounds to fulfill GDA’s obligation under Georgia’s Equine Protection Act. He suggested that local law enforcement, working with existing private equine rescue organizations in our state could absorb the burden. He insisted that there are people all over Georgia willing to take and care for horses coming from county law enforcement……….really?
I (as calmly as I could manage) explained to Mark, why his suggestions will not work and will greatly set back all efforts on the part of many people, working since 1990 to end rampant equine abuse in our state:
1. Local law enforcement involvement in equine matters has always been minimal, at best. Police officers have many things on their list of duties which must be put ahead of equine matters. As for Animal Control, it is well known that they are usually painfully understaffed and stay overwhelmed with dog, cat, and dangerous wild animal concerns. Again, equine matters are often a low priority.
2. Private equine rescue organizations, including GERL are almost always at capacity. They simply cannot absorb the overflow if GDA closes even one impound facility. For them to accept more animals for which they cannot adequately provide care, must always be guarded against.
3. Did he consider the fact that the prison impounds are closed on the weekends and that the horses are fed only hay during that time? How can a seriously underweight horse be satisfactorily rehabilitated under those circumstances?
As our conversation ended, I expressed my thoughts that an impact study should be performed before welfare checks are permanently suspended or the Mansfield Impound is closed. Needless to say, I was not happy to learn of Mark’s plans, so I told him that I would like a meeting with Commissioner Black to discuss. He agreed to set up the meeting before the end of the year. I previously enjoyed a very productive meeting with Commissioner Black in which we discussed the uniqueness of Georgia’s equine laws and resulting protection programs. At that time, I thought we were in agreement concerning the importance of growth in all areas pertaining to equine welfare. I pledged the continuing support of GERL and we have kept that promise beyond what would have ever been imagined.
I feel total frustration while I wait for a date for the meeting, but I am hopeful that I will be able to present a convincing argument on behalf of the horses. But, let me say this about that…I will Stay in Faith that whatever is supposed to happen WILL HAPPEN! Stay tuned for future updates.