Dozens of wild horses missing, one dead in Harlan County, Ky
The war on wild horses – it is all over the news recently. dozens dead in a Kansas holding pen, the fight to keep the horses on the range in Wyoming, wild horses being round up and shipped off to Mexico for slaughter and now “missing” wild horses in Harlan County as well those dozens of wild horses dead there. Will there be any wild horses left or will we only have statues and memorials? ~ HfH
From: Local 8 Knoxville TN
HARLAN, Ky. (WVLT/WKYT) — Workers with the Harlan County Humane Society says 37 of the wild horses that they care for are missing. They say one has been found dead.
The workers typically care for more than 100 horses, but as of Friday afternoon, 38 of those were missing.
Kentucky State Police found one horse dead. They say they’re expecting the same result for the other 37.
Troopers are working with the Humane Society to try to piece together what happened.
Humane Society workers say that if criminal activity is behind the horses disappearance, they are committed to bringing those responsible to justice.
The humane society is trying to find out who’s responsible for shooting the horses.
A $4,100 cash reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and prosecution.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the Humane Society at 606-573-0016. They can also call Kentucky State Police in Harlan at 606-573-3131.
Maggie Frazier
38 wild horses go missing from a HUMANE SOCIETY? Is there a war going on against wild horses in all states now? I realize Kentucky is not really in the top 10 in regard to animal welfare, but how in the world can someone kill one horse & steal 37 more in one fell swoop? This needs to be investigated & followed up on!
Nancy Thompson
Maggie,these horses were abandoned on a strip mine over 30 years ago and have continued to live and breed just like in the wild. The Humane Society stepped in when the horses were threatened with removal. The locals love the horses and care for them. Actually there are horses in most counties of Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia living on strip mines.Some thrive and some starve to death. A few have been know to leave the mountain tops and are hit by cars on the roadways. They are considered property of the land owners and sadly many are sold to kill buyers. A lucky few who stray are caught by a rescue and put up for adoption. I hope the cold hearted idiot who killed these poor horses is served a bit of redneck justice before turned over to authorities.
Maggie Frazier
There are also 28 MORE – mares & foals – that have been shot & left for dead. What exactly is going on in Harlan County? It seems local law enforcement better call in some outside help – where is the outrage from the public?
Barbara Warner
The Harlan Co. Humane Soc. did not own the horses. The others missing are presumed dead. A coal mining co. tried to get them removed a few years ago but a lawyer found it didn’t own the mountains so couldn’t. I hope whoever did this is caught and hung.
Daryl
How sad that some on would do this to them, they bother no one and lived their for years and this happens, it is hog wash, they should look to the ones who wanted them off in the first place and I bet they are the ones who did it just years later. these horse can’t seem to get a break .
LNorman
37 is a full truckload for a killbuyer/transporter.
Judith Keene
This makes me wonder if there is any connection between these horses in KY and the ones in KS. that died! Did they find out yet what the ones in KS died from? I hope they didnt get poisoned! Why has our whole country become so anti horse all of a sudden?