The Charlotte-Mecklenburg pound, the place that brought you such classics as The Drugged Kitty Photo-Fest and Oops – We Killed A(nother) Pet, brings you this posting on Facebook. Read it and weep.
Yup. It’s a promo for a stray horse they named MEATY. They are auctioning him. Aren’t these folks just fall down funny?
WHAT ARE THEY SICK THERE OR WHAT??? THIS IS IN NO WAY FUNNY NOR IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS POOR STRAY HORSE!! THEY NEED THEIR SICK HEADS EXAMINED!!
Hahahaha. They are so hilarious. Because terrified horses loaded onto a double decker and shipped to slaughter in Mexico is really quite amusing.
I’m sure they got a farrier in to work on him, had him evaluated by a vet and a competent horseperson (to see what skills he has, if any) and cleaned up his matted mane and got the poor bastard some groceries after they took this photo.
Yes. Because that’s the kind of quality people they are.
Beyond angry here – their cruelty knows no boundaries.
Damn them all!
Any chance there’s a horse rescue/farm sanctuary that will take this poor horse? Is anyone trying?
I commented on their post but it appears they have removed the post entirely
I bet they did get flack for that ad! Most “animal shelters” will not even keep a horse–they will send them to an equine-savvy facility or foster them out. It sounds like someone dumped a “pet” horse because they couldn’t sell an unaltered mature unregistered untrained liability (food, behavior). Not only is “Meaty” a sick-joke name to give him, but advertising him to be auctioned as an unaltered, unevaluated stallion is absolutely irresponsible on their part. Maybe the reason they took the ad down was that someone who is equine experienced told them that. Horses really are NOT “pets”–they are a half-ton animal (in the “livestock” category) that can HURT or KILL YOU if they are not mannered and/or if a handler is inexperienced (especially a stallion).
well .. taken the post down keeps people from knowing the horse exists.. and that give him no chance at all.. horses right now are a dime a dozen at auction,, what a shame.. This makes me sick.
Poor horse. Those people are not funny. Why are they getting paid with people’s tax money to make fun of animals in need?
The auction isn’t until July 12. I’m going to call the shelter and see if he’s still there (in case he got adopted for real). If he’s there I’ll post him on the Alex Brown racing forum for horse rescue. LOTS of horse rescuers on that board–maybe somebody in the Charlotte area can help him.
Does this shelter have a USDA license? I thought one had to have one in order to auction off an animal!
Char-Meck took down the previous post when people began to comment regarding the horse’s welfare. Reader Lisa sent me the new post that has been put up:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=456021147743219&set=a.227590370586299.71095.227405590604777&type=1&theater
He is to be auctioned on Saturday July 7. If he doesn’t get sold at auction, they’ll look for a rescue to take him. And they changed his name “until he finds his new home”. Geniuses.
Now they’re calling him “Rusty”. Which is better than “Tasty”, I imagine.
He has put on a touch more weight, but still doesn’t seem to have seen a farrier and no word on a skill evaluation. If he can be ridden through auction, his chances of surviving the meat trucks is better than if he’s just run through.
I sent an e-mail to the USDA asking if a USDA license is required because I could not find one. I also told them about the auction.
They say on post ” City ordinance requires that all livestock be placed up for auction and that has been set for July 7th at 1:00pm here at the shelter.” so why can’t a person go there and Bid on him to save him?
I posted him on the horse rescue forum at alexbrownracing.com and hope somebody in NC will show up at the auction and bid on him. The FB post says the auction is open to everyone so I don’t see why a rescuer can’t get him.
Wow…poor horse. I hope he finds someone who can get him from these people soon!
They also have a post up requesting people purchase Kuranda beds. I posted info on how to make your own easily and economically. That was deleted as well
Oh really? I saw that Kuranda post (but didn’t see your comment) and it says they only give the beds to dogs and cats on the adoption floor. How humane.
Can you post the directions here?
Here are printable instructions plus a video. We have made tons of these and they are very easy to make and quite economical. You can usually find a place to donate canvas scraps
http://www.columbusdogconnection.com/elevated_dog_beds.htm
Thank you. I sent the link to Billy and told him I want a dozen, heh.
My post was also deleted…
I don’t want to be bashed….I just wanted to say that he is taken care of. He came in looking like hell. He wasn’t taken care of at all by whoever had him before. He wouldn’t let anyone touch him without trying to attack them. He had dreadlocks, he was skinny, his feet looked like crap. The shelter has to keep him for a legal holding period, they have no choice…it’s the law. He has a barn, a roomy stall, a paddock, and a pasture. He is fed twice a day and has fresh supply of water at all times. He has been socialized……he can be groomed, he can be petted, a person can go in his stall and he is very polite and wants to be near them. He has put on a good amount of weight in the past month and looks wonderful….pictures don’t always capture the full picture….come see him…he looks so good now. He has had a coggins test, he has a farrier appt to get his feet trimmed for his new adopter….he will be vaccinated and microchipped. His nickname was Meaty but that wasn’t supposed to be a sick joke or imply that he was horse meat. It never even occurred that it would sound like that. It was because he was so scrawny when he came in that now he seems like a bulldog…..full of life and actually has some curves! It wasn’t meant to be horrible…..the people taking care of him would never do that. They love this horse and have spent a ton of time trying to make him as adoptable as possible. They aren’t horse trainers….they aren’t trained to be horse trainers….they are just a few people that loves horses and have taught themselves how to work with fractious large animals to try to improve their behavior. They aren’t allowed to ride him or try to ride him so they can’t tell you if he is rideable……..they wish they could, but they aren’t trained for that. They do the best they can with the knowledge they have given themselves to try to make a difference to an animal. Policy requires them to auction this horse….they hope that a rescuer gets this horse….he’s a stud…he needs to be gelded…he needs to be trained…he needs an experienced gentle hand….they will, as usual, try to rule out any “bad” bidders in hope that he will go to a good life. They agree….they want him to go to a rescue but they have to follow policy….if they want to have a job. They agree….they want him to be gelded and are going to try to make that a requirement of the adopter. They are going to set the bidding low because they want the person that gets him to be able to afford to do those things….geld him and train him and give him a good life as someone’s partner. They agree…..his intake picture looks horrible…..because that is what he came in like….they didn’t do that to him….someone else did….they are trying to fix it but do it within the means they are allowed by the people in charge. These caretakers…they aren’t the bad guys here…if you don’t believe me, please come see him, come to the auction, come look at him in the pasture..ask for a tour. It’s hard to be accused of being a horrible person when in fact, the person that caused this in the first place is the horrible person. It’s sad that everyone hates you when you know that just the day before, you were praying you didn’t get bit or stomped while trying to figure out if you could make friends with this horse and give him a chance. When you spend time with an animal that could kill you if it wanted, that doesn’t like to be touched, that doesn’t trust anyone….and you get to a point where that animal welcomes you to be near and welcomes you to come in the stall, and runs to you in the pasture…now that’s rewarding. That’s when you have done something good, no matter what other people think. I don’t want to fight with anyone and i’m not suppsoed to be writing on this forum. I just wanted to say that I do care and that i do want to make his life better and that i do agree with some of what you say. I just want you to know that i’m not a monster…
Candy,
I don’t think you are a monster, nor do I think that about anyone trying to help this horse. The fact that CMPD ACC would create this post and not see anything wrong with it, then delete it when people got upset, tells me they are the same monsters they have always been.
When you say the pound will “try to rule out any “bad” bidders” – I don’t understand how this is possible. Isn’t the point of an auction to sell to the highest bidder?
potential bidders are required to fill out an adoption application which asks questions that are meant to get information about where the animal will live, what type of experience they have, so on and so forth….then they can use that to talk to people who don’t meet the criteria needed for that particular animal to try to educate them that it would not be a good fit. and you are right…auctions are meant for the highest bidder, it sucks and it’s not right….but they can refuse adoption based on certain criteria in certain situations…..thats why they hope rescue people come to the auction and win….because they have to do the auction but they want rescue people to be able to take ownership so he can be handled and taken care of the way he needs to be….because if someone gives all the right answers but is lying, there is no way for them to know. and i do agree that the post wasn’t in good taste…it wasn’t done in malice but ignorance. new, good, clear pictures of the horse should be used as well as any info at all about behavior, handling, history should be offered up because this is a huge responsibility, taking on a rescue horse. i only wrote something because i just wanted people to know that he is being taken care of and the post doesn’t depict that. He is a good boy and he has good people helping him along. It’s heartbreaking when you want people to know what you have done to help but there’s that shadow of things-gone-wrongabove your head. I just wanted to try to reassure that there are some people that truly have put a lot of love and care into this horse to try to make the best of his life.
Thank you, Candy. I’m sure the people who want him to go to a good home weren’t calling him “Meaty”.
Thank you so much for your comments.. I’m so happy to see it in writing that you do care. It would be wonderful if all the facilities this site discusses had someone responding as you have done.
p.s. – your comments were deleted from facebook postings because the department has a policy against allowing comments so as soon as they pop up, they have to be deleted….that was the only way they were allowed to use facebook for the shelter….wanted everyone to know it’s not personal…just a requirement
Does the department know what FB is and how shelters use it to increase live outcomes? You kind of need to allow comments.
Several rescuers over on the horse rescue forum have shared Rusty’s info with their contacts in the Charlotte area or offered to help any way they can. It sounds like some of them plan to be at the auction. Once again the irresponsible public steps right up. So I’m hoping Rusty goes to rescue and doesn’t get fast-tracked to a Mexican slaughter house.
Thanks for this good news Jeanne. Got my hooves crossed for a good outcome.
Hopefully the rescues will not be bidding against each other! They need to coordinate like the dog auction rescues.
It does not take an Einstein to know who infiltrates horse auctions. No clue? Well think about it… The name Meaty is a pun to indicate he will be auctioned to dog food manufacturers and sent over the U.S.Country Borders to be slaughtered. Damn those SOBs.
While I am commenting here, I’d like to know why anyone interfered with this horse and his farmer owner. It is not a crime to tie out a horse by one’s barn. “Meaty” shows no signs of abuse, has definitely been well fed. What is the so-called crime here for the horse to have been taken away from the farmer? I see none, unless confining the horse ina chainlink enclosure, they are attempting to claim a stallion is illegal and that is crap… Any on the up and up animal livestock control should know that one has a stallion the animal MUST be in an inescapable confinement because stallions can and do become hard to control once they smell a mare in season anywhere nearby. Also, if the horse owner has a human child younger than 18 years of age, and has a stallion on theri property said horse must be confined to a inescapable enclosure. So, in my opinion, as i see it, the farmer did not commit any crimes toward the horse to have had the animal taken away. Furthtermore, chainlink, though not the accepted fencing of choice for a horse, can be surrounding on the inside with no-climb horse fencing to line the enclosure and no leg or hoof mishap will happen to the normall anxious stud. This farmer should not have had the animal taken from his possession but been issued a warning to refence with no-climb ina certain number of days and to be reinspected; that would have been the acceptable max, not sent to auction…
Update from a reader:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=456021147743219&set=a.227590370586299.71095.227405590604777&type=1&theater
“The horse auction for this weekend has been cancelled due to the fact that this horse is very green/unbroke. He will need an experienced horse trainer and thus will be going to Carolina Equine Rescue and Assistance for training.”
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Carolina-Equine-Rescue-Assistance/14501728556127
Your kidding me… hummm..
He’s a beautiful horse. I hope this means that he will be adopted or rescued.
Oh my god, I saw this horse when we went looking for a dog!! We pulled up and said what the hell, a HORSE?? I can’t believe he’s a stud- he was so sweet and he most def. is not 8, in person he was around 14h and looked like a two year old.
Base on accurring incident of taking inappropiate pictures of animal not having knowledge of dog having parvo, and putting dogs to sleep without verifying if the dogs belong to owners, This is sufficient ground to clean house firing the manager to the last worker and put professional manager with skills in running a shelter and animal control workers that looks for the best interest of the animal and the best solution without sedating them or mocking them on facebook or any other media.