Law steps in when people refuse to act

Dear Editor:
I would like to respond to Mr. Hansen’s letter regarding the horses and big government.
First of all let me start by saying that I am a conservative and a realist. I am sick and tired of “big government” slowly taking away our rights ...little by little.They tell us where and when we can smoke. They mandate that we buy health insurance. They even tell us what kind of toilets to buy andwhat kind of light bulbs to use.(it’s coming). Next they will be telling us what kinds of food to eat.What will be next ? People had better wake up!
 Now that brings me to the “horse issue”.
I am also a volunteer with FOGAS (Friends of Gonzales Animal Shelter).We have been working very hard to get better care for the staked-out horses in the city limits. I know that livestock is considered to be “property,” but that does not mean that animals should be abused/neglected. Nothing deserves to be starved or abused, not even horses and cattle... PERIOD. And sure, there are laws already on the books that state that horses cannot be neglected and abused. They HAVE TO have food, water, and horses are supposed to even have shelter of some sort. The laws are there, but unfortunantly the laws in this county and surrounding counties are not being enforced.
I have quite a few horses myself and I wouldn’t want anyone telling me how to care for them or train them —but, if I was starving my horses or abusing them, I would hope people would  call the authorities. That’s the problem: a lot of people won’t call law enforcement. They are afraid to, or they think someone else will do it. We must do the right thing!
If I saw anyone beating a child or animal (I mean beating, not spanking) I would call the authorities.
We with FOGAS have been working on the horse problem for months. We would have loved to have other people’s feedback ... their ideas ...their help..
All we want is for horses to have water at all times in this hot weather, to be fed and not have bones showing, and to have some sort of shelter from the elements ... again, already the law.
Two years ago, FOGAS seized 16 horses off the Moulton Road area. Most of them were extremely poor. A couple of them died. There were dead ones on the property. Some of carcasses were set on fire so we wouldn’t find them...it was horrible. But what sickens me the most is that for at least a year, tons of people drove up and down that road and didn’t do anything. Some of the neighbors didn’t even call law enforcement. Either they didn’t care or maybe they knew that nothing would be done about it.
One other thing the “good ole government” did a few years ago — they closed the slaughter houses. Now we have an over-population of horses due to the closure and due to the over-breeding. That is one reason horse abuse/neglect is on the rise.
I have one more thing to say: the horse owners in town are lucky that they can even have livestock. Most of the small surrounding towns don’t allow any livestock at all.
 
Terri Schreiner
Terris Training
Gonzales