More Than 100 Neglected Horses Seized in Arkansas

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Rescued donkey in ArkansasThe latest case of large-scale horse neglect comes from Fulton County, Arkansas, where a horse dealer named Rodney Kankey was found to have left a herd of more than 100 horses and donkeys without food or water.

According to reports, there had been several complaints of neglect at Kankey’s farm over the past seven months. Previous complaints had led to warnings from authorities, but he did not comply. When animal welfare responders were finally able to execute a search warrant on December 9, they found horses with untreated fractures and several cases of strangles, as well as some horses that had already died due to lack of care. At least two have been euthanized since the seizure due to strangles infections. Strangles is not typically fatal, but the horses were already immunocompromised due to malnutrition and poor living conditions.

Welfare workers and the Fulton County Sheriff’s department determined that Kankey had not provided any food or clean water for the horses since he was arrested for threatening several people with a gun on Thanksgiving Day. He was released after posting bond on December 6. No charges have been pressed for animal cruelty at this time as the investigation is still ongoing.

The horses are currently under custody of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and in quarantine at the Mountain Home Livestock Auction barn where they will remain for at least 30 days. Volunteers and workers from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and American Humane Association (AHA) are working to bring the animals back to health and get them accustomed to being handled and groomed by humans.

The equines are expected to be available for adoption through various rescue organization once their quarantine and recovery period is up. For more information, read updates at AmericanHumane.org

18 COMMENTS

  1. This is ridiculous, the punishment for abusing horses (and any animal for that matter) are way to light. That guy should rot in jail for what he did to those animals, I think one year for each animal he treated cruelly is about fair. And to think that the investigation is still ongoing, what more proof do they need to determine that these animals were abused?! Makes me sick

  2. Hurrah they were all rescued. Now the long road ahead for recovery. It is almost certain that they would’ve gone to slaughter otherwise. This will have a happy ending!

  3. God surely answered their prayers. I wish I was closer, to help out. Most of my horses, are also rescues, so I know first hand what the horses are going through.

  4. What a mean guy! He sure has a bad reputation. He should be HUNG TO DEATH! He deserves the worst. And the horses did not deserve what they got, but Thank the Lord that kind people are here and rescued them!

  5. NEVER heard of having to put a horse down for strangles……even starved horses have a good recovery rate. Too bad these horses werent given a chance to live………

  6. if it is bastard strangles then it can masifest anywhere in the body including lungs heart or other organs.. my hubbies filly had it way down in her throat and we thought she may have to be put down.. we had to be ver careful on feeding her so it wouldnt get caught and choke which she did twice.. she had a couple abeses blow out her lower lip two.. was not fun

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