Starving Horse!

I have hesitated to respond to this subject in hopes that it would work out well for the horse and maybe in the long run it has. We must be careful when we intervene in these situations that we not only do not do more harm than good but that we get our facts straight before we banter about people's names and their place of work without knowing all the facts. St. Croix is a small island and information accurate or not travels fast.
This horse was in a debilitate condition to say the least. Unfortunately, when horses and other similar species are in this condition one cannot feed them like they would a normal animal due to their condition....it can kill them! I realize that the best of intentions were at work here but from a health standpoint it was not in the animals best interest to overly feed it grain or even pelleted food or green grass without careful monitoring. It is sad that the animal ever got to this point in the first place and the person that truly was responsible should be held accountable, unfortunately, that person has not been implicated and probably never will. What is even more unfortunate is that a person that was just trying to help this animal has had his name associated with a cruelty he would never commit.
Please people on this forum....let us get the facts before we do more harm to animals and each other.

Great points KEH... especially before someone has a lynching.

To KEH Thank you for being a much needed voice of reason. To most of the rest of you.. How dare you judge me and my choices. While you were typing away on your computer about what should be done I was actually doing something. First of all let me say it was very kind of Chris to stop by when I was tending to the horses and check on me and them and she was very attentive and willing to help.She saved me crucial minutes one day when she picked up chains and locks for the horses when we were moving them to quarantine. She also came by the day I asked so I could show her how I had been feeding them in case I was unable to get them moved before I left the island. HOWEVER I AM the one who moved heaven and earth to try and save both of them. And yes I made a deal with the devil so to speak but I had VERY GOOD reasons to do so.Tell you all what, the next time you spend hour upon hour day after day forcing your two toddlers to sit in the sweltering car driving all over the island getting feed, obtaining notarized authorization, begging the Ag department to help you, only to be told , "It's Ag week so we are just too busy right now to deal with anything.", (except for Sue at the Ag department who was there till the very last moment) spending 2-3 hours aday feeding and watering the horses SLOWLY and carefully so as not to kill them, calling in every favor you have ever had to get a trailer there for them, meeting a notary at 6:30 am and begging them to come with you because the Ag department won't accept the transfer without another witness, calling every vet in the USVI and trying everything to get them to believe that there is a horse in such extreme distress and to PLEASE help you, telling your kids to please believe that they will get to play sometime during the day to hang tight that these horses need us, calling the girls from VICCTRE 8-10 times aday , crying yourself to sleep EVERY night thinking of the pain and suffering these beautiful animals have endured, praying that you are not too late and that somehow you will be able to save them, looking into the eyes of the one that was soooo ill and seeing the most regal and willful being you have ever witnessed look into your soul and trust you, being touched to the very core of your being by his sheer will, weeping tears of joy at the sight of clear strong urine and a healthy bowel movement, crying hysterically on a plane in Puerto Rico as you frantically dial for help at the news that even though he was 1000 times better than when you found him 2 weeks before and you had just hugged and loved him and promised him it was going to be okay just 12 hours ago that he was lying bleeding from his mouth and his rear but still trying to stand his eyes clear as ever and even trying to eat hay from your friend that is now holding his head in the last moments of his life, crying for days on end knowing that you may have contributed to his death, closing your eyes at night and seeing his eyes looking to you with hope, tasting his smell and remembering every inch of his body the next time any one of you have that or a similar experience I will not judge the choices you made. I will believe that the deals you made were not motivated from fear but from hope. From hope that maybe if you can help this on and prove that you will be there regardless of the circumstances that it will never get this bad again and you and others Will be trusted to help change what has become such a shameful and mostly hidden and certainly ignored problem

I sympathize with you Jami and wish you the best. It was noticeable in your lament, that you never wished the same suffering upon the owners and neighbors, but just the shame upon them for such ignored neglect. Thank you for your post.

Jami -

Your efforts were heroic. If the world had more people like you it would definitely be a better place. Thank you.

Jami your post brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for your courage and strengh that it took to try and save those horses.
Tammy

Jami, you are a strong and fearless woman with the heart of a rescuer - it is the ones such as yourself that possibly can bring about a better world for the animals of the islands. I personally never took the "off with his head" posts very seriously, although I do wish someone could be held accountable for this poor creature's suffering.

You did a brave and selfless act which showed great courage. You did the best you could do with what you could.......you went the extra mile.....and you showed your children that we don't just focus on ourselves, we also take responsibility for all creatures great and small, even if they aren't "ours". This is why I am in Rottweiler rescue.....and sometimes you just want to give up because it seems nothing goes right or people are critical without knowing all of the circumstances - but of course you never give up.....the next thing happens, and there you are again, giving it 1000%.

Please rest well at night knowing you did EVERYTHING one person could do, and then some.....I commend you and Chris for your efforts and know that you will be every diligent about watching out for those who cannot speak for themselves. My best guess is that you will be a powerful animal rights advocate on the island - and the world needs more of those, no matter where you are - advocates for the children and the elderly and the animals without a voice.

Peace.

Dear KEH I failed in my last posting to ask you if you know those who have been mentioned in regard to the abuse of the animal to PLEASE give them my deepest and most sorrowful regret for their name being put out there. I am sickened and saddened to know that any of this has happened. I just wanted to help the horses and hopefully build some bridges. Not blame anyone or freak out I wanted to be part of the solution and forward motion in an island problem. I am so very sorry that some did not agree with me and felt it best to go public with the limited info.So again please extend my heartfelt apology.

I appreciate all who have replied. All I want and wanted was to help those and other horses and help build a bridge of trust and try to let it be known that it is about the HORSE and not ego. I hope that all that have been touched by this event will remember the one that died and think of the one that made it and use their power to help in the future.