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Three Charged with Animal Cruelty in Fort Shaw

Three Charged with Animal Cruelty in Fort Shaw

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Feb 27, 2009 at 4:57 PM MST

Story Updated: Feb 28, 2009 at 3:42 AM MST

Two of the most controversial bills out of the State Legislature this year involve animals. Tonight, there is a disturbing case of animal cruelty out of Fort Shaw that may add fuel to the fire in these emotional bills.

On February 9th, Cascade County Animal Control officers responded to a report of possible animal neglect at home west of Fort Shaw. Later Sheriff's detectives found a large amount of abused or neglected horses on the property.

"We found many dead animals," said Cascade County Sheriff David Castle. "More than 10 with obvious signs of abuse."

Three suspects appeared in Cascade County Court today. Marilyn Whiteside, and David and Elizabeth Lee were each cited for Felony 1st degree aggravated animal cruelty and four counts of unlawful disposition of a dead animal.

Meanwhile a house bill that would permit horse slaughterhouses in Montana this week moved onto the senate. Horse lover Laurel Christensen says legal slaughterhouses could prevent certain acts of cruelty, and would make horse termination humane.

"Older horses get thinner," Christensen said. "You think you are being humane , but their organs go and they start beating their head against the ground. That is not humane."

We visited the home of the animal cruelty suspects today, but no one would answer the door. Another bill in the state senate would increase punishments and treatment for animal hoarders moved onto the state house. Sheriff David Castle says these animal cruelty cases unfortunately are not rare.

"We see a lot of these cases where people don't take care of their animals. What is unusual about this case is the amount of animals involved."

As both the horse slaughter bill and animal hoarding bill are being considered, these animal cruelty suspects will meet their fate in the court system.

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jtaylor said on Saturday, Dec 18 at 7:00 AM

Horse slaughter is necessary. We cannot let these animals suffer, old, young, lame whatever the reason they end up in a slaughter plant, it is better than the conditions living under inhumane conditions, cruetlty, negelct. There has to be an outlet and starving isn't it.

NDeeve said on Monday, Mar 2 at 10:08 AM

There will always be people who will starve and abuse horses and it has ZERO to do with horse slaughter. Look at how many cats and dogs are euthanized every day in America and still people abuse and starve them. Horse slaughter plants pay by the pound and over 90% of the horses slaughtered are healthy, young, not lame and in good weight, according to USDA records. The majority of Americans want horse slaughter & transport of horses to slaughter banned NOW!

MuekIst said on Saturday, Feb 28 at 5:32 PM

Donnt these people know about REAL "humane euthansia?" I mean death by letha injection done by a vet. People who claim its too expensive are full of crap. If they cant afford to humanely euthanize their horse perhaps they shouldnt have them. Slaughter is never humane. It is not euthansia. People need to know the difference.

Rosette said on Saturday, Feb 28 at 4:06 PM

Yep,that is right the connections should be charged to the fullest for neglecting these horses! A slaughter plant has nothing to do with people neglecting their horses! The horse slaughter pipeline is awful abuse for a horse.Documentation here in the USA! SEE:www.kaufmanzoning.net Our economy is awful,peolpes animals are the first to feel the brunt! A passing of HR 503 will weed out dishonest people that prey on new people that want own a horse! I have seen plenty!

LMatte said on Saturday, Feb 28 at 2:59 PM

Horse slaughter is NOT a service to help owners dispose of a horse. It is a business and as long as other countries will buy the product the slaughter houses will supply the product. They are MEAT plants they don't want olk skinny horses they want horses in their prime with LOTS OF MEAT on them. The fact of the matter is slaughter of horses is abusive, barbaric and a cruel way to end a life regardless of any unwanted horse claims. Horse owner's that abuse and starve their horses will abuse

LMatte said on Saturday, Feb 28 at 2:55 PM

The transport of horses to slaughter is another form of the brutalities that are placed on the horses check out Animals-angels . com read the investigative reports. Look at all the violations these drivers have and continue to get month after month. Unsafe vehicles, over weight limits, etc. The horse slaughter business is a huge cluster of irresponsible, law breaking horrible human beings. They travel late at night and over load their double decker trucks cramming 40 horses in there where th

LMatte said on Saturday, Feb 28 at 2:51 PM

Maybe you should take a look at the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) records received directly from the USDA that shows horses faces bashed in and bleeding, their eyeballs hanging from their sockets by strings of flesh and their legs broken off and gone. Why don't you take a look at that? Over 900 pages of photographs at www.kaufmanzoning.net take a look at what they call humane.

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