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Investigation follows deaths of two horses in St. David
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| 'Good intentions' did not help this Palomino avoid a disturbing death in a St. David pasture that apparently did not sustain the two horses living on it. (SUBMITTED PHOTO/Lydia Mangen) |
By Ainslee S. Wittig/ARIZONA RANGE News
A St. David rancher could be charged with abuse of horses if a woman who saw the horses the day before he shot them has her way.
But rancher Rex Kartchner said it's a situation of "the best of intentions going sour," adding the palomino was raised on a pasture similar to the one he was most recently on.
Lydia Mangen, also of St. David, said, "I'd seen these two horses from a distance on and off for the last six months. This rancher had the option of selling them at the Robertson's Horse Auction - they were still doing auctions (during that time frame). They were going to the slaughter plant in Mexico, but he could have done that. Or he could have shot them months ago. That's legal. But he didn't take those options. Instead they starved and suffered. He didn't have a problem shooting them the day after someone wanted to save them."
Mangen took pictures of the horses on March 19 when she saw them near Horse Ranch Road and Highway 80. She brought them hay and they both ate.
"They did not have trouble chewing and they were not choking. They had water available, but no food. There was grass, but with no nutritional value," she said. "They were starving. I could tell they were beginning to shut down. I was three feet away when the palomino noticed I was there."
That day, Mangen posted the photos on Craig's List because she knew of a woman who had sold her horses and then heard the buyer could have been taking them to slaughter, and she wanted to find them.
The posting on Craig's List prompted a huge number of responses, mostly from people wanting to help the horses.
"Many of the responses from the Phoenix area were warnings that no one will do anything about it," she said.
The next day when she set out to feed the horses, she saw the rancher's vehicle and stopped. Then she heard a gunshot. She heard the rancher making a lot of noise, and she took a photo with her cell phone as he was leaving in his truck.
"He shot the Chestnut, and he dragged her out away from the pen into the desert. He led the Palomino out and shot her in the head. He probably either saw me the day before or saw the hay," Mangen said.
As awful as the situation was, Kartchner said he raised the palomino from a colt, and he would "never do anything to harm them."
He said the palomino was 24 to 25 years old and the chestnut was "almost as old. My idea was to put them out to (the 40-acre) pasture and let them take it easy the rest of their lives."
He said he saw the horses several weeks before Mangen saw them, and he said, "they looked fine - there was no indication that they were starving. The last thing I had in my mind was that they would go hungry."
"I was horrified when I saw the condition they were in (when he saw them March 20). I couldn't believe they went downhill that fast. I didn't foresee any problem there. At that point, one was already down, and the most humane thing for me to do was to put them down. It still breaks my heart to think about it," Kartchner said.
He said, "I would typically be moving into a time where I'd start supplementing, but they hadn't been there a year yet."
Mangen said that when she moved to the area, she was warned by the state that the land could not sustain a horse. These two horses were on state land, and the rancher had a grazing lease for his cattle.
Mangen wants people to know they can't treat horses this way.
"Those days of ranchers doing whatever they want and no one will see are over. They have to know they can't get away with this. I know the slaughter house is not a great solution, but it's better than starving to death," she said. "It would be good if there were euthanasia clinics available" for ranchers to learn better options.
Arizona Department of Agriculture Livestock Officer Brad Cowan said he has finished investigating and would be bringing the case within several weeks to the Cochise County Attorney's Office for them to determine whether Kartchner will be charged with any crime.
"I'm not concerned about any other animals in his care at this point," Cowan said.
Kartchner said, "It hurts me more than anybody, but I am the one responsible. I'm not making excuses and whatever happens, happens. It was a situation of being unaware of the deteriorating condition. I had no intention of harming these horses. The grass just didn't cut it. I certainly didn't want for them to starve to death."
"If I were in that situation again, I'd do it differently," he said.
But rancher Rex Kartchner said it's a situation of "the best of intentions going sour," adding the palomino was raised on a pasture similar to the one he was most recently on.
Lydia Mangen, also of St. David, said, "I'd seen these two horses from a distance on and off for the last six months. This rancher had the option of selling them at the Robertson's Horse Auction - they were still doing auctions (during that time frame). They were going to the slaughter plant in Mexico, but he could have done that. Or he could have shot them months ago. That's legal. But he didn't take those options. Instead they starved and suffered. He didn't have a problem shooting them the day after someone wanted to save them."
Mangen took pictures of the horses on March 19 when she saw them near Horse Ranch Road and Highway 80. She brought them hay and they both ate.
"They did not have trouble chewing and they were not choking. They had water available, but no food. There was grass, but with no nutritional value," she said. "They were starving. I could tell they were beginning to shut down. I was three feet away when the palomino noticed I was there."
That day, Mangen posted the photos on Craig's List because she knew of a woman who had sold her horses and then heard the buyer could have been taking them to slaughter, and she wanted to find them.
The posting on Craig's List prompted a huge number of responses, mostly from people wanting to help the horses.
"Many of the responses from the Phoenix area were warnings that no one will do anything about it," she said.
The next day when she set out to feed the horses, she saw the rancher's vehicle and stopped. Then she heard a gunshot. She heard the rancher making a lot of noise, and she took a photo with her cell phone as he was leaving in his truck.
"He shot the Chestnut, and he dragged her out away from the pen into the desert. He led the Palomino out and shot her in the head. He probably either saw me the day before or saw the hay," Mangen said.
As awful as the situation was, Kartchner said he raised the palomino from a colt, and he would "never do anything to harm them."
He said the palomino was 24 to 25 years old and the chestnut was "almost as old. My idea was to put them out to (the 40-acre) pasture and let them take it easy the rest of their lives."
He said he saw the horses several weeks before Mangen saw them, and he said, "they looked fine - there was no indication that they were starving. The last thing I had in my mind was that they would go hungry."
"I was horrified when I saw the condition they were in (when he saw them March 20). I couldn't believe they went downhill that fast. I didn't foresee any problem there. At that point, one was already down, and the most humane thing for me to do was to put them down. It still breaks my heart to think about it," Kartchner said.
He said, "I would typically be moving into a time where I'd start supplementing, but they hadn't been there a year yet."
Mangen said that when she moved to the area, she was warned by the state that the land could not sustain a horse. These two horses were on state land, and the rancher had a grazing lease for his cattle.
Mangen wants people to know they can't treat horses this way.
"Those days of ranchers doing whatever they want and no one will see are over. They have to know they can't get away with this. I know the slaughter house is not a great solution, but it's better than starving to death," she said. "It would be good if there were euthanasia clinics available" for ranchers to learn better options.
Arizona Department of Agriculture Livestock Officer Brad Cowan said he has finished investigating and would be bringing the case within several weeks to the Cochise County Attorney's Office for them to determine whether Kartchner will be charged with any crime.
"I'm not concerned about any other animals in his care at this point," Cowan said.
Kartchner said, "It hurts me more than anybody, but I am the one responsible. I'm not making excuses and whatever happens, happens. It was a situation of being unaware of the deteriorating condition. I had no intention of harming these horses. The grass just didn't cut it. I certainly didn't want for them to starve to death."
"If I were in that situation again, I'd do it differently," he said.
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Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of willcoxrangenews.com.
Lisa wrote on Apr 17, 2009 1:26 PM:
" I agree... It is not fare to the horses to strave them. There are human ways of handing this stituation. The person needs some kind of consequenses. Let him starve for a month...... "
Anna Cureton wrote on Apr 17, 2009 3:33 PM:
" To call a man a rancher would imply that he has knowlegde of rangeland management and a good head on his shoulders that knows better. I can't believe that a man that has a lease on public land for cattle doesn't know the conditions of the land and what it can sustain. This man needs to see the ends of the justice system. Those horses could not fend for themsleves, this man took that responsibility when he purchased or raised them. EH no longer deserves to have horses if his ignorance causes such torture to these great animals. I agree, an eye for an eye. "
Maggy wrote on Apr 18, 2009 2:50 AM:
" Unless there was a noted illness, these horses should never have appeared incredibly thin. Unless no substance was being offered to sustain them. Which is cruel and should be punished by the full force of the law. Rancher or casual horse owner. The rancher you'd think would take better care of his livestock and investment. Too many other opportunities out there to help out so no excuses. "
Paula Tyler DVM wrote on Apr 22, 2009 4:52 PM:
" This horse did not get to this condition in weeks. This horse was not cared for and it is obvious. Shame on Rex Kartchner who is a science teacher at St David High School. He absolutely knows better than to treat an animal this way. If Cochise County does not file charges in this case, then shame on Cochise County Attorney's office too. "
Shocked wrote on May 8, 2009 1:26 PM:
" This situation could have been avoided if this individual was a responsible animal owner.Ifyou can't afford proper care then give them to someone who will love them as they deserve. This makes me sick to my stomach. Glad he is not "teaching" my children, "
Shocked wrote on May 8, 2009 5:35 PM:
" My other concern is whether these mistreated horses were buried or left to rot in the desert? The rabies issue could become headlines again if these horses were not disposed of correctly and the local creatures can feed and spread the disease. But then I doubt that proper disposal is any concern of a person who couldn't even feed them. "
Diana Barton wrote on May 9, 2009 12:59 AM:
" Please email the Cochise County Attorney's office and let them know how you feel about this case! This is the only way to get the attorney's office to get serious about this issue. The grazing rate on this land is probably much less than 1 cow per 100 ac, Mr Kartchner knows the land and how many cows it will sustain why is he ignorant on how many horses it will sustain?
attorney@cochise.az.gov
djohnstun@chochise.az.gov ( this is the crimnal county attorney) "
attorney@cochise.az.gov
djohnstun@chochise.az.gov ( this is the crimnal county attorney) "
Rebecca wrote on May 9, 2009 11:48 AM:
" As another writer said there is no way if he saw these horses around March 20 that he didn't know they were starving. This story just breaks my heart he deserves full punishment. Poor sweet little horses. "
S farms wrote on May 9, 2009 6:37 PM:
" Contact the school with these complaints and tell them we don't want him teaching our kids. That might be more punishment then Cochise Co will give him. "
deny wrote on May 10, 2009 2:49 PM:
" it is sad that the Kartchner family is so judgemental of other folks in the community and the hospitals, but when it is one of their own not a word said and no one is held accountable!!!!! just goes to show you what money and position does in the community once again. i work with kids in 4h and ffa, there is ABSOLUTELY no EXCUSE to let your animals to get this way. "
Raymond Patrone wrote on Apr 15, 2009 3:08 PM: