Denise Rockenstein — Staff reporter
LOWER LAKE — Rescuers at Lavender Horse Ranch in Lower Lake are under the gun to comply with orders of Lake County Animal Control (LCAC) by Tuesday or risk seizure of the animals. LCAC is demanding the installation of adequate shelter.
Rescuers dispute LCAC”s claim there is “inadequate shelter for the number of horses on the property for them to get out of the mud.” Ranch spokesperson Lawrence Ross said several measures were taken to appease LCAC and compliance with the agency”s demands is ongoing. He said the effort received acknowledgement in the progress that was made but the time allotted for current demands is unrealistic and unreasonable.
“We are here today to talk because we feel that LCAC is trying to shut us down. We have until Tuesday morning to be in compliance with the shelters with a big storm coming our way,” Ross said. “If we are in compliance by Tuesday morning they are saying they will cancel the hearing scheduled for Wednesday. If we are not in compliance or if we fail to show up for the hearing, they will come out with a truck and take the horses.”
LCAC Director Denise Johnson said the agency wishes to work with the horse rescue operation. However, she said ample time has been given to gain compliance. “We usually give people five to 14 days. They have had 30 days,” she said. “Like I said, the animals can”t be left out in the inclement weather. There are a lot of horses out there on that property and they need proper shelter. They have been given a couple of extensions and we”re at 30 days now.”
Johnson said, “I am hopeful that all the shelters are up by Tuesday. They are complying with our requests and the shelters were the last issue.”
Ross said the purpose of the rescue effort was to save the horses from possible slaughter, where rescue facilitator Debra Rodrigue suspected they were headed. “We are doing this because we owe it to the horses,” Ross said. “These are the kind of horses that should never be led out to slaughter. At the point when Debbie stepped up to take these horses, that”s where they were going to go.”
Johnson said that while she applauds the effort, legal requirements persist. “I am confident that they are going to comply. We”d like to work with them. We have the same goal, which is to save these animals and see them placed in permanent homes,” she said. “I applaud her intentions; it just needs to be done within the law. We want to see them succeed, but they need to do it legally.”
Ross and Rodrigue said that every effort was made to gain complete compliance including the installation of two small shelters and two large shelters, fencing and the application of tons of wood chips to control muddy conditions. She said that health issues of the horses have, at times, taken precedence. “We want to comply with the demands of animal control, we just need more time to do so,” she said. “We are working our best but there have been some issues that take higher priority than shelter, such as the health and manageability of the horses.”
Primary goals in the effort include reducing the herd and finding proper placement. To do that many of the animals require extensive handling and training. Rodrigue said adoption procedures are currently under way for 10 of the horses and that eight are adopted and left the property. At least a dozen additional people inquired about adoption as well, she said.
“Our goal is to reduce the heard and we are doing that. We went from 41 displaced horses to 23 still in need of caring homes,” Rodrigue said. “Horse people from all over the area are coming and working with these horses everyday. You”d be amazed at the progress some of these horses have made. These are horses that could have used more attention. They lacked in medical care, training and handling. They are receiving care for all of those needs vital to the quality of life of these animals. Except for one or two of these horses, they were all nearly wild.”
Rodrigue said, “One of our volunteers, Kathy Unger, has taken particular interest in a very skittish mare, which is now approachable and accepts being led. This is a great accomplishment for this horse and she is getting closer to being adoptable.”
Rodrigue said health and hoof care are major issues associated with the rescue effort. A couple of volunteer ferriers are dedicating themselves to the effort tending to the hooves of the animals, which Rodrigue said for a horse is extremely important. A day-long health clinic was held at the ranch last weekend and gelding operations, dental care and rabies vaccinations were completed.
“Last weekend we were privileged with the assistance of The Humane Society of the United States. Our priority was to get our stud pens up so we could move the last horses over, which means that all the horses are now safe from possible slaughter, unless they are seized,” Rodrigue said. “Dr. Eric Davis and this team were here from dawn to dusk on Saturday providing much-needed care for the entire herd. Support of this agency and other individuals in our community has been very encouraging.”
Volunteers will be working during weekend to comply with the demands of the LCAC. Anyone wishing to help is encouraged to come out to the farm located at 11996 Spruce Grove Road in Lower Lake. Debra Rodrigue can be reached by telephone at 995-2716. Much of her time is spent in the pastures with the horses but a message machine will pick up if she is not on the other line.
Contact South County reporter Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
