A Pike County, Ohio, resident reported in mid-December 2003 what she thought was abuse in a herd of approximately 52 horses to Kristen Rohde, DVM. Rohde asked local law enforcement officials to have the horses examined by a veterinarian. By Jan. 9, the horses in question had been examined by three veterinarians (each of whom reported that some of the horses were in need of care), were monitored, then seized by local authorities. In the meantime, the international animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had become involved in the local issue.

Pike County Sheriff Larry Travis said, “We received a complaint of starving horses. One horse was found dead in a stall, and there was one skinny horse. We’re not sure why the horse died. The rest of the horses looked fair. We began to monitor the animals, checking to make sure they were fed and had water, and spoke with the owner. He was taking our advice and cooperating fully. We were following the guidelines of the Humane Society of the United States for cruelty investigation. The first objective of the agency is to relieve (care for) the animal