Sheriff to auction seized horses

Last month, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office seized 128 mistreated horses from a ranch near Brothers, and the story made the national news.

"It was the worst case of animal abuse I've ever seen,"said Sheriff Les Stiles.

What followed, however, was a dramatic rescue effort involving hundreds of people who donated their time, money and horse supplies to aid the stricken animals.

The rescued animals were cared for at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds and local veterinary facilities.

In spite of the poor condition of the animals when they were seized, most have fared well in their new surroundings.

The owners of the horses were charged with multiple counts of animal abuse and have forfeited ownership of the animals.

Now that the animals are healthier, the Sheriff plans to offer the horses for sale at a public auction scheduled for March 1.

Prospective buyers are cautioned that many of the animals have had little previous contact with humans.

It is expected that the number of animals available for auction will increase, since many of the mares are about to foal.

The sale is contingent on court approval, which is expected next month. All proceeds from the sale will be disbursed in accordance with applicable laws of the State of Oregon.

Every effort is being made to insure that the horses end up in good homes where they will be properly cared for.

It was revealed that some of the animals had been involved in a previous abuse case in the State of Washington involving the same owners.

When those horses were sold at auction, some were purchased by agents of the former owners and returned to the same poor conditions, this time in Oregon.

For this auction, however, prospective buyers will be screened and must submit to a criminal background check and certify that they are not an agent of the former owners.

Further, auction participants must make application in advance, agree to periodic Sheriff's Office checks on the horses' welfare, and agree to keep the horses for a minimum of a year.

As an additional safety measure for the animals, the minimum bid for any horse will be $200.

At that figure, it is believed that it would not be economically feasible to purchase an animal for the purpose of slaughter.

The auction will be held at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond on Saturday March 1 at 10 a.m. and will be open to viewing by the public.

The number of bidders, however, will be limited to the first 500 approved applicants.

Applications are available at the Sheriff's Office in Bend and the three sub-stations in Sisters, Terrebonne and La Pine. All applications to participate in the auction must be received at the Sheriff's Office by 5 p.m. on Friday February 14. Call 388-6655.