39 horses taken from hoarder

You've heard of puppy mills. You've heard about cases of a few starving, neglected horses found in a field. How about 39 horses--thin, living in filth, with untreated wounds, skittish and unused to handling? Stallions and mares, many of them Arabians. Thirty-nine. Pierce County Animal Control took the horses from a property in Graham, Washington this week. According to the Tacoma News-Tribune "some stalls contained compacted manure and urine a foot thick."

Pierce County Animal Control Officer Brian Boman leads a horse from a transport trailer to a stall at Frontier Park in Graham, September 26, 2012. It is one of thirty neglected horses were seized from a Graham-area home. (PETER HALEY/THE NEWS TRIBUNE)

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/09/28/2313562/graham-area-man-to-fight-for-return.html#storylink=mostpopular#storylink=cpy

The owner cooperated with authorities when the horses were being taken. That seems to be "official talk" that means he didn't cause obstructions or get in the way. Now he has lawyered up and intends to fight to get the horses back. Isn't that a typical hoarder attitude? "I'm taking care of those animals; the abuse has been exaggerated; my animals are well fed; I spend every cent I've got taking care of them." Tell me the horse in that photo is healthy and fit.

This was the largest horse rescue Pierce County has ever undertaken and funds are needed for the $40,000 cost of rehabilitating the horses. If lots of people (yes, me too) each send a little, they'll raise the money in no time. The address for donations is Pierce County Auditor's Office, 2401 South 35th St., Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409. They'll probably have to spend all their budget-allotted money on the legal case.

The world is full of pseudo-intellectuals

Airedales don't observe Yom Kippur because they never atone for anything.



Alanis plays hide and seek

In camo

No one can see me.

The artist at work

While I've been very busy during this week before the start of fall quarter, Miro created several small installations around the main floor of the house.

Applying finishing touches and autographing his work.

Seeking inspiration for the next piece.

The result: an elongated but tightly unified piece representing the movement of water on this first day of rain after an unprecedented 51 days of sun. I call it "La Lluvia," the rain.

A walk in the woods

First we take a slow walk with Alanis. Then she goes home to rest and we go out for a fast walk, meaning the person wants to do a fast walk and I want to pay attention to what's around me. We went to a park not far from home.

Something interesting over here.

It requires further investigation but that pesky leash is holding me back.

Yes, of course, I can sit nicely; but it's boring to be here when something's rustling over there.

So many bushes to sniff; such a short leash....

Wordless Wednesday

What you can't buy at the farmers market

This is post number 450!

You may have seen gift shop signs saying, "You break it; you buy it." While at the Sunday Lake Forest Park market, I thought of one for dogs: "You nose it; mom buys it." I was going to buy the blueberries anyway but told the lady at the booth exactly which box I wanted after Miro sniffed at it a little too closely.

He has a particular code of ethics. He doesn't see a problem with smearing his wet nose all over somebody else's food but he will not steal from a booth or even the ground. I have not tested this theory on meat or cheese! When I was buying green beans, which both my dogs like, Miro and I both noticed several that had fallen to the ground; but he did not eat a green bean until I gave him one I had purchased. Or is he just fastidious?

After I stowed the food in the car, we wandered over a bridge and to the creek that's right next to the shopping center where the market is held.

I am bored but sitting patiently.

People  like to stand and stare at things.

Practicing my camouflage ability.

Mom tried to hold the leash in one hand and keep the camera steady in the other while not getting her shoes wet. If I had pulled just a leeetle harder....