O.T. Horse/people advice needed

short version. Widowed Aunt has a 160 acre farm in Wisconsin. She rents out the cropland and pasture. Her son and a daughter still living in wisconsin and they (mostly her son) help keep the place up. This spring, out of the goodness of her heart, the daughter let a young couple who were down on their luck pasture 3 horses there for free. now its fall. The pasture is gone. The horses feet need attention and it's time to get them out. The problem is that the couple have broken up. The young woman says the horses are his. And he is not answering his phone or returning calls. What is the best thing to do now?? ( His location is unknown)

Suggestions:
1. Advertise them on craigs list- if you want them gone will have to practically give them away
2. Take them to a sale barn- probably won't get much money for them, if they even sell.

I don"t think that you could just sell them at this point. Start a paper trail. Send them EACH a certified letter, return receipt. Send his to his last known address, it will show that you attempted contact with himm on the matter.
You sell these things, in about 18 months he will claim they were triple crown studs and sue the pants off you.

Oh heck,

Bring 'em on over; everybody else does. I've got sympathy horses running out my ears and eatin' me out of house and home! :>)

Allan

Not familiar with Wisconsin law, but ignorance of the law never seems to slow up the folks on here, so will go ahead and make my modest suggestions. DISCLAIMER: The advice given is worth exactly what you're paying for it.

TMo is just making it up as he goes along. His recommendations could get you in trouble. You can't just sell somebody's horses, even if everybody knows they are useless plugs. "Notice" seems to creep into most aspects of civil law. Without it, folks tend to get visions of huge settlements. That's a bad thing.

Pitch seems to be on the right track. Don't know what the rules are for abandoned animals in Wisconsin. Just as an afterthought, someone might want to look into that.

All that being said, in the final analysis, I'd just go ahead and ship them to Allan in NE, as he suggested. He'll just tie them to that Gleaner, and feed them all winter. What a guy.

I would call your version of animal control (or sheriff) and report them as abandoned. If they are in need of vet care and you (your aunt) sits on them any longer you/she may be held responsible (and could be charged). They may or may not pick up the animals, usually do, but will get them the needed care and contact the owners. You need to be on the record as not being responsible for them. If they have been on nothing but pasture (no feed or supplements) for the summer they are probably not in the best of health anyway. At least what is expected.

That’s my experience based on issues with abandoned animals in the past away. As soon as you establish that the owner is not caring for them and take it upon yourself to do so they become your problem.

I just don't get horses.

Id look specifically at Wisconsin law. Kentucky has two very specific statues that would apply but they only get as close as the Ohio river. With either one, notice is required, either by certified mail to last known address or by a published notice in the local newspaper. In either case you then have to petition the judge in District Court (lowest local court) for a sale order. Judge orders the sheriff to sell them on the courthouse steps. You can buy them for a dollar if no one else does, then resell them as you see fit. But, you have got to establish title.

Leave the gate open,or knock the fence down

jimmy

Use to work with an Indian fellow. He said when he lived on the rez they would eat horse. Said it didnt taste that bad.... Sell em or give em away.

They make good chili and spagetti meat!

Where at in Wisconsin? Either of the horses broke or ridable?

If so and you go through the proper channels my other half would probably take them.................

Ha whats a few more mouths to feed.......

You can buy them for a dollar if no one else does, then resell them as you see fit. But, you have got to establish title

What happens if nobody (not even you) buys them in that action?

You're in a tough spot. You need to find out what the law says and follow it or they could become yours.

Best course, after complying with your state/local laws, turn them over to the county.

Here in Tx you can't hardly give them away. A lot of sale barns won't even let them in. Heard that where they do let horses in, some horses were going for $6.00. Not enough to pay the gas to haul them there.

If you ever take an animal in, chances are its yours forever.

Sorry for your situation and for the horses. They didn't pick their owners.

If the farm is located near se wi,i can see if the wife can look up the shelters in near by areas.Otherwise the county fsa office would know where local horse farms are at.

The young woman is only saying that the horses are "his" because she doesn't want the responsibility of moving them- horses are almost always a "woman" thing in a relationship. Tell her you need her to sign ownership over to you, then put them on Craigslist as a "free lease off premises/ Free adoption".

Lots of advice......but no one has really stated what needs to be done except one.

Right now you have 2 options, call the cops and report them as abandoned or get legal advice from a lawyer! With lawyers they will generally give a free consultation hoping to get your business so you may wish to check on that too.

This part sucks.....while those horses are on your aunts property if the owners are not caring for them your aunt may be held responsible for their care and feeding.

Rick

I'd do up two documents....

1) a bill for the use of the pasture
2) a bill of sale selling the horses to you

Get legal ownership of them and do the right thing by the horses. Right thing being give/sell them to a good home or take them to the middle of that 160 acres and do the SSS thing.

i dont know how wisconsin's laws read, but you better do something and start a paper trail, call the livestock inspector and tell them they were found abandoned on your property,and need attention, out here in nm, if the inspector happens by, and sees those horses in that condidion its your fanny, and big time, as their on your place, a paper trail of trying to get action could save you in court is your state has the same laws

Dane county humane society got hit with something like that when they took a couple horses in dispute. Sold one to a racer that made couple 100 thousand in winnings. 2 years later after going to court owner falsly charged with various zoning and animal abuse wins case and says give back horses and the winnings- or a humane society director and a sherrifs deputy with get felony misconduct in office and horse theft charges, federal civil rights charges also feloniess. Humane society guy says it was county attorneys fault. Horse owner says OK, he'll get added to paperwork on charges to be filed in next hour, paperwork already filled out for 4 people, 5 is just another copy. New Sherrif confirms he's seen paperwork and they are filled out properly so when judge signs them- same judge that has cussed out official that originally messed up case- he'll be required to take them into custody. Humane society and county insurance people get quick call, say they look into it and get back in couple weeks- horse owner say fine- the accused will probably be out on bond by then both federal and state and won't be working while case drags out another couple years as horse owner was willing to do. One horse returned from out of state with a marshall service escort, all gross winnings amount as part of settlement given to owner, humane society short $50,000.00 as insurance wouldn't cover that to start for 'criminal negligence', county attorney decides not to run for political office as part of no prosecute settlement, new director of humane society, horse seemed happy back with his 'mama'. Owner gets restraining order against county attorney office, humane society and sherrifs office- any actions they want to take must be cleared by judge first and notice given- violation means felony misconduct in office charges processed. Some people very happy when owner moved out of state with horses. RN.