Just called Animal Control...

[TeresaBelle]

... on my neighbors! Got home yesterday and there were three big piles of horse poop in my yard! Weird neighbors got a horse a month or two ago. This is the first time it's pooped in my yard, that I know of, but I've wondered since they got it if it was even legal to keep a horse in a yard with no fence, no shelter of any kind... most of the time he's just tied to a tree I think. Obviously, he wasn't tied yesterday and my Grandma, who lives across the road, told me last night that she's seen him wandering around before! Why would you even get a horse if you don't live on a farm, or at least have barn. The Animal Control lady I spoke with said they don't have to provide shelter for livestock! Can you believe that?! I'm thinking, what if it snows 3 feet again this winter... that poor horse will freeze to death! Animal Control lady said she's been out to check on him before at the request of the people's landlord, he wants it off his property.. she said she will go talk to them again. She asked if I'd spoken to them about cleaning up the mess, I told her no, I don't know them and I don't want it to cause any trouble and maybe have them retaliate against me.. maybe that's thinking the worst of people, but I'd rather be safe.

 

[tiggger1]

I would complain to the town because it depends on the the town regulations. here we have to provide shelter but shelter can be just about anything. the animal inspector told my neighbor she just came from a house that had 2 box trailers side by side with a tarp covering the middle with 2 horses chained under the tarp.. and that is considered a shelter. but then again there was talk that my town wanted to change it so that you need 2 acres per horse to graze. I have 4 acres and my horse has a decent size paddock but no grass because she is fat enough without grass..she does get all the hay she wants but too much grass can make them sick!!

 

[southern_redhead]

If they are renting does the landlord not have a no pets clause? I would think this would extend to the horse outside. Maybe he can do something from that angle.

I cannot fathom wanting to keep a horse in my yard.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

Having owned horses for many years, they will do just fine without shelter most of the time. The biggest issue isn't getting snowed on - it's if they get soaking wet and it is very cold. We had a barn with a stall for every horse along with a couple of sheds they could get into to get out of the weather. Most times they will stand outside next to the barn, out of the wind in a little group. I actually think they are warmer standing with their buddies together than if they are separated in their stalls. Their winter coats are pretty good insulation and you will often see snow on their backs that doesn't melt because of this.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Okay, I owned a horse for years and literally just got off the phone with a woman that owns a farm we're hoping to use so we can buy another one.

A couple of points and I'll itemize only because that's where my brain is:
1) A horse can be kept on someone's property if it is zoned for it. I cannot have a horse on my property due to zoning laws and board of health issues. Of course, if I was renting I would need the landlords permission. Call the board of health to see if they are even allowed by law to have a horse on the premisis.

2) NO HORSE SHOULD BE ROAMING FREE without any sort of enclosure. Okay, there are obviously exceptions to this but in a populated state like Virginia they are asking for that horse to be hit by a car!!! That being said, no horse should ever be tied to a tree permanently. That is just cruel and horrible!!!

3) A horse does need shelter of some kind. As long as there is a floor and a roof a horse can get by with a 3 sided structure. They need some where to get out of the elements. That being said, it doesn't mean that the horse will use it. My horse loved the snow! He was originally from Idaho and loved to stand in the snow and have it cover him. He wasn't a fan of the rain though and would go inside when it rained.

4) While the poop is very annoying (use it to fertilize your garden for the winter), I would be upset that the horse was allowed to even get to your property. That is just plain wrong.

Please, for the sake of the horse, alert everyone you can to this situation! Besides animal control, call the board of health, the zoning department of your town and even the town cops. While the police might not be able to do something, they may visit to ensure that the horse is properly contained.

Good luck and please keep us posted on this. I hate irresponsible owners.

Okay, off my soapbox and back to work.

 

[mrodgers]

4) While the poop is very annoying (use it to fertilize your garden for the winter)..............

I was just thinking, I wish the neighbor's horse or some of the cows around me would get into my yard and poop in it. My garden is in desperate need of fertilizer and it would save me from having to haul it from my father-in-law's in the back of my wife's SUV, hehehehe.

 

[TeresaBelle]

The Animal Control I called is for our County, my town doesn't have it's own government.. it is super small, like blink and miss it small. So at least the county is aware.

Maybe the neighbors are trying to find another home for the horse, just haven't been able to yet. I hope.

Poor horse has no shelter from rain or any other elements and no buddies to huddle with.

 

[Val]

If you are seriously concerned about the horse's welfare (and it sounds like you have appropriate concerns) try your local humane society or the nearest humane society (NOT the national USHS, they are an activist group with a different agenda and actually won't be of much help). The local agency may be able to do more than animal control- who deal with animal pests and dogs/cats. There should be a state-level humane animal welfare inspector who will investigate your report- much like Dept. of Family and Child services. An investigator will come out, inspect and observe the animal, and interview the family who owns the horse. If they feel the animal is in danger, they have the power to remove the horse or recommend and ensure some changes. I believe you can make the report anonymously, but am not sure of the laws of Virginia. It might be work a google search and a phone call. Keep us posted.

And don't put fresh manure on your plants....it is a little too potent and will burn. Let it, uhm, age gracefully and mix it with straw or leaves. If you want to use it right away make some "tea"- water and poop in a bucket that sits for 1-2 days. Strain it and pour- it is like liquid gold. Or, given the current end of the growing season, mix it with straw and leaves and leave it in a pile for spring......and then wait for a bumper crop of zucchini and tomatoes...and terrific flowers!

 

[LilyWDW]

Did you call Animal Control or the SPCA or Human Society?

If it was Animal Control, then you need to Google and get the counties Humane Society or SPCA number. Animal Control deals more with "nuisance" calls and issues or things like strays. The Human Society or SPCA deals with animal cruelty/neglect and the laws for keeping animals. They would have a better understanding of what is required to keep the animal.

If you did call the Human Society or SPCA, then they will get to it when they can. It sounds like they already have a file started. Most agencies are just understaffed and have too many cases to deal with... so they have to organize them somehow. Unless there is clear neglect or a safety issue then this may get put on the back burner so they can deal with bigger problems.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would be sic-ing every animal rights group known to mankind on these people.

 

[TeresaBelle]

OP here. I pulled in the driveway yesterday and saw this...

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt311/teresa0275/100_0900.jpg

It's a cinder block with a long red strap... at the other end of that strap was the horse/pony.. loitering about my yard!

Lady comes over and says "Sorry hun." I said "You can't keep putting your horse in my yard it's leaving piles of poop everywhere!" She said she'd clean it up. I said, "Still, you can't keep your horse over here." She said, "I'm not keeping it here, it just comes over here." I said, "It drags that brick over here itself?!" She said, "Yeah." I said, "It can't come over here, it's my yard!" Then she points to a trailer that's between our houses, but further back, and that's yard is connected to mine and says, "He said it was alright if I let him over here!" I said, "This is not his yard!" So she's dragging the cinder block and shooing the horse back to her yard with switch ... and I hear her say, "It's just a damn yard!" Like yeah, but it's just MY damn yard! What a nutcase!!

I just happened to have my camera in the car and snapped a few pics..

http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt311/teresa0275/100_0903.jpg

I called Animal Control again this morning and left a message, I will call again if I don't here back from them soon.

I called the SPCA/Humane Society and they told me to call Animal Control! Or the Sherrif's dept.

I also emailed the zoning office to see if our area is even zoned for livestock, as a PP suggested. Waiting to hear back.

 

[tiggger1]

where in Virgina are you?

 

[TeresaBelle]

where in Virgina are you?

Central Virginia ...Nelson County.

 

[tiggger1]

Central Virginia ...Nelson County.

I know some horse people on another board that might be able to give you some ideas on who to call

 

[kymmyk13]

Was she in her robe in that picture?

 

[TeresaBelle]

Was she in her robe in that picture?

LOL... no, it's a dress with sweatpants underneath. BUT... I have seen her out in her robe and PJ's before... in the snow!

 

[Magpie]

Wow - that's a very tiny horse and a very large lady! I hope she never tries to ride the poor little thing...

 

[Imzadi]

Wow - that's a very tiny horse and a very large lady! I hope she never tries to ride the poor little thing...

Maybe the ASPCA will come out for that!

 

[TeresaBelle]

Wow - that's a very tiny horse and a very large lady! I hope she never tries to ride the poor little thing...

LOL... There is another lady that lives there, of equal size, or larger, and I didn't want to start trouble with them. I'm a little skeered!

 

[DMass]

Wow - that's a very tiny horse and a very large lady! I hope she never tries to ride the poor little thing...

No wonder it keeps running away.