February 11th, 2011
Report: Harris-Justice Anti-Harassment Hearing for the Dayton Horse Case
Read the original story here.
Mason County Case # 11-00446
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office continues to claim that this horse is not starving
Pasado’s Safe Haven never likes to see people who are speaking up for innocent animals be mistreated or accused of wrongful acts. This hearing did allow the opportunity to present all the details of this case to the judge. Mr. Harris continued to contradict himself under oath, and as his attorney frantically shuffled through the stacks of unorganized paperwork while Judge Victoria Meadows watched and listened to each side carefully and judicially.
Deciding Points made by the judge from the hearing were:
• Greg Harris claimed that the two horses that died were his favorite horses yet after numerous neighbors called Harris on Sunday January 9th to tell him that two of his horses were down and something was wrong, he didn’t go out to his property until Monday, January 10th.
• Only four legitimate calls were made to Animal Control and the Sheriff’s Department which does not constitute harassment.
• Part of Harris’s claim was trespass on the part of Ms. Justice. RCW 16.52.100 states: “If any domestic animal is impounded or confined without necessary food and water for more than thirty-six consecutive hours, any person may, from time to time, as is necessary, enter into and open any pound or place of confinement in which any domestic animal is confined, and supply it with necessary food and water so long as it is confined. The person shall not be liable to action for the entry, and may collect from the animal’s owner the reasonable cost of the food and water.” Therefore his claim of Trespass was thrown out.
Pasado’s Safe Haven’s offers to perfrom necropsies were refused
We will never know if these two horses were shot, starved or beaten. Due to what we feel was a very poor and inadequate investigation, and even after Pasado’s Safe Haven had offered numerous times to pay for the exhuming and necropsies of the deceased, these two horses are buried and will not be exhumed for those answers. The officers admitted that they are not educated enough in horses and don’t know enough to give a legitimate statement for what happened to those horses.
Pasado’s Safe Haven’s Humane Investigator, Kim Koon, stated: “In multiple conversations with a number of different officers who responded to this case, I was told directly by each of them that they were not experienced in horses and really didn’t know what to look for. I did appreciate this honesty, and can only hope that seeing this horrifically sad case, is enough to get them into the proper training so that this never happens again!”
Animal Cruelty Investigation training for law enforcement is recommended
Pasado’s Humane Investigator, Kim Koon, along with Linda, an incredible Cruelty Investigation Volunteer for Pasado’s, met with both Chief Bird and the Prosecuting Attorney to discuss concerns about this case. Before they even sat down, the Chief stated that he knew that there were flaws in his investigation. Koon said, “After presenting our concern about the investigation, we expressed how crucial it is for all officers to be able to adequately assess body condition scores on different species. We offered to both agencies any possible assistance that we can be as well as invited them to be a part of future trainings in animal cruelty investigations, like the one we took part in last August hosted by Washington State Crime Prevention Association (WSPCA). We were very happy to hear Chief Bird state that he would be interested in attending.” Both agencies agreed to accept and review the documentation that we presented for consideration in the continuation of this case.
As this case has so clearly demonstrated, proper education is imperative. Pasado’s needs Law Enforcement and the public to be educated in these techniques so all of us can work together as a more powerful and effective force to stop cruelty to animals.
Many thanks to all of the brave citizens, especially Debbie Justice, for standing up for these horses and for putting themselves on the line to fight for their justice. We have to believe that each time we speak up for an innocent animal that we are one step closer to a stronger united voice for all of the animals out there that so desperately need us.