Argus' friend Dr. Miller recently sent me this video taken of Argus standing in the pen where he spent so many years, at the Sonoma County home of Pat Tremaine. This video was shot in November 2007 and used in the felony animal cruelty case against Tremaine (she was convicted of two counts of felony animal cruelty). It's a short clip but it shows a very neurotic Argus weaving (swaying back and forth), something I'm told he did incessantly. I watch it and it makes my stomach turn. It explains the severe arthritis in Argus' knees and neck. Thank goodness Argus no longer has to live this way. He still weaves at times, but mostly when he's anxiously waiting his big tub of dinner.
If you can believe it, this video was shot from the well-traveled road outside Argus' pen (Goodwyn Avenue in Penngrove for you locals), just two doors down from the site of an episode of "Extreme Home Makeover." If you look closely, you can see Argus' fellow prisoner, Bobby (another Thoroughbred Ms. Tremaine kept penned up for years), in the background.
It is only because enough people finally said "ENOUGH!!" and relentlessly hounded the authorities (whose hands were tied because the horses had food, water and shelter) that Argus, Bobby, Starmaker, Athena, Destiny and Sammy are free. Please speak out for voiceless animals in these situations. Often their only hope is humans who stand up for them.
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12 comments:
Oh, how sick. That makes me ill to my stomach to see Argus there. He's definitely one of the lucky ones to have finally escaped such torture.
That's heartbreaking to watch. I'm so glad he's come so far with you guys.
Thats so sad! Recently I got the authorities involved in a farm down the road. You NEVER see stuff like that in our area but again it's the same boat, they are (sorta) being fed and (sorta) have shelter they have to give the man time to improve the animals. When a herd of cows go from 16 to 8 cows in 6 months and not because they were sold, they were dying with their bellies full (read baled up weeds) such a sad predicament. Now that I got the newspaper involved hes been feeding them more to avoid the 21st, which is the day the humane society come out again. The humane society out here has NO CLUE about horses or livestock.
It's a wonder he has movement at all in his neck. Even though we know the outcome was good for Argus, it still breaks my heart to see him suffer.
The title of your blog~
"From Hell To Heaven: Saving Argus"
simply says it all!
Thank You Katie, and your entire support team for saving Argus and giving him the life he so deserves!
Though watching the video brought tears of sorrow, we now can all rejoice with tears of happiness at the life that Argus has now. He has flourished under your unwavering love and commitment.
I will always remember your post from October 10, 2008~
"Argus runs through my tapestry, a slightly tattered white thread that wraps itself around a myriad of events from my 40th year"
Argus has forever woven a place in my heart!
Blessings to all @ Watermark Farm,
Doe
Makes my stomach turn as well. No horse deserves to live like that. He is a lucky fellow.
good to see you active again... when you get a chance, go here:
http://paintedpromiseranch.blogspot.com/2011/01/thanks-ms-martyr.html
It has taken me a couple of days to get through Argus' life. I'm so glad I started at the beginning and read to the end. This video breaks my heart, but knowing the love that has been lavished on Argus and knowing he is doing well makes my heart heal. You are a wonderful person. Taking care of God's creatures is our responsibilty as humans. God bless you, your family and Dr. Miller for your caring hearts.
That is so very sad to see but look at him now! Doesn't even resemble the same sad horse.
He is truely blessed to have you! Most people would of just said he is too far gone to ever recover from something like that. I just don't understand how people can look at that situation and think that it is ok. I was raised and am now raising my girls with the notion that you treat an animal tame or not tame with the same repect of a human. So that is why it is so hard for me to understand how something like this could of gone on for years. If you gave you child food and water and shelter everyday but kept them locked up in a closet it would be considered abuse. How is keeping an animal that is made to run and be active in a wide open space any different?
Hi Katie,
I just saw the video of Argus prior to rescue. That poor baby. How ironic is it that passing motorists found the sight more disturbing than his own owner. That degree of cruelty is so upsetting. My heart broke to see it, and it just hurts to much to imagine that going on for SIX-TEEN-YEARS.
Someone should have chained her to that stall and made her live there, half-starving, in her own filth. Make her live there for sixteen days, and it would be unbearably cruel. Now multiply that by 365. My heart just breaks.
Sooooo much love to you for fighting so hard and for so long, including after rescue, to keep him alive and healthy and able to love and enjoy all the life left in his body.
It made me so happy to see him so closely trotting about with his new Kiwi brother, but it also made me sad to see the comparison between Argus' body and the healthy, muscular build of his brother.
Ongoing positive juju to Argus and Ridge. Love to you and your family. You are all angels.
Love,
Andrea
Katie oh Katie.... Can we have a six month update? How is life at Watermark these days? How is Argus doing? Any new friends or should I say any new grays? Just wonderin' how you all are.
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