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Fri
27 Jan Sobriety STILL Hurts ON SALE 4/20/2011 THE SEQUEL TO SOBRIETY HURTS IS FINALLY COMPLETE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT http://MacheteKing.Bandcamp.com on APRIL 2…

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Sat
28 Jan Sobriety STILL Hurts ON SALE 4/20/2011 THE SEQUEL TO SOBRIETY HURTS IS FINALLY COMPLETE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT http://MacheteKing.Bandcamp.com on APRIL 2…

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Sun
29 Jan Sobriety STILL Hurts ON SALE 4/20/2011 THE SEQUEL TO SOBRIETY HURTS IS FINALLY COMPLETE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT http://MacheteKing.Bandcamp.com on APRIL 2…

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Geis Area News

What it takes to own a horse

The Humane Society in Somerset County has been flooded with calls since 6 News aired a story Thursday night about their rescue of a malnourished horse.

The 2-year-old horse was just skin and bones when it was found laying in the mud Thursday.

A number of people have come forward offering to help, not only that horse, but the half-dozen others who were not getting enough food and water. But Humane Society officials said people don't realize that this kind of neglect is happening across the region every day.

"It's happening right outside and people need to start being more aware of what their neighbors are doing with animals," said Humane Society officer Melissa Leonard. "Everyone has good intentions but you need to know the basic care."

6 News stopped by Curt-Itsy Acres in Hooversville on Friday to see what it takes to properly care for a horse.

"When you have a horse, it's a 24-hour job and it's a 365-day-a-year job," said Elizabeth Wyandt, the owner of Curt-Itsy Acres. "You don't get vacations and you don't get sick days because they have to eat."

Wyandt has 60 horses in her stables and said she goes through at least a thousand bales of hay every month.

"We feed twice a day, but some of them require three or four times a day," said Leonard. "They're not like a cat or dog where you can put a big dish of food and water in front of them and expect to go on vacation over the weekend."

Then there's the daily maintenance.

"You've got your upkeep on hoof care, dental work... They have to have shots," explained Leonard. "They're like taking care of a big kid."

Wyandt said people feel bad and want to help when horses are neglected, but said you need to have the resources and expertise to properly care for them.

"If not, that's where the boarding situation comes in to play," said Leonard. "You hire us to take care of your animal."

We looked up the average cost to own and properly take care of a horse. For just food, bedding and veterinary care, it'll run you at least $3,000 a year.

Horses also need land to run on, proper shelter, hygiene and grooming and lots of attention.

_{Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:02:07 -0500}

Humane Society : Laws prevented earlier horse rescue

Some neglected horses are being cared for as humane agents try to nurse them back to recovery.

6 News first told you on Thursday about a malnourished horse who spent 16 hours lying in a Somerset County field, without the energy to even stand up. Workers from the Humane Society investigated for months and discovered six other neglected horses.

Our newsroom has received several calls from upset viewers asking why it took so long for humane officers to step in. So we went back to Somerset County on Friday to find the answer and get an update the horses.

Humane officers said they wanted to step in earlier but the current Pennsylvania laws prevented them.

"The horses were in bad condition but what people don't realize is that the laws are always there to protect the animal owners and not help us," said Somerset County humane officer Melissa Leonard. "When we got there the other day, there was a horse down and that constitutes as imminent danger so that was the only way we could legally take the horses."

When the horses were rescued on Thursday some of them were so sick they couldn't even stand. Officers said they found 2-year-old Mauvro was found lying in mud.

"He was pretty much given up on life," said Leonard. "His eyes were closed, he was having trouble breathing and his body temperature was extremely low."

On Friday, he still wasn't standing, but he was doing better as he was eating hay and drinking water on his own. As for the other six horses, they're still at the farm in Somerset but Leonard said they're receiving proper care until the Humane Society can find them good homes.

"We have had a lot of offers of people trying to hold the horses but we really would like somebody who has previous experience dealing with horses that have been starved," explained Leonard.

The Humane Society said it has been overwhelmed with phone calls from people wanting to help, but said it's not too late. It is still asking for donations, supplies and money, as well as loving homes for the horses.

_{Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:32:49 -0500}

Troopers: Pair tricked elderly man out of $7,000 by pretending to be police

HOMER CITY, Pa. --

An Indiana County couple is jailed on charges they pretended to be undercover police officers to fool a 92-year-old man into paying them $7,000 in what he believed were fines.

State troopers from the Indiana barracks said the victim lived in Homer City.

Investigators said 31-year-old Jacquelynn Forsythe and 27-year-old Christopher Dobies stayed with the elderly man. Forsythe allegedly met the man at church when he offered to help her out of a financial mess five years ago.

Police said the couple ran up a drug debt and conspired to pay it by tricking the man into believing he committed, or was suspected of, crimes. They claimed to be undercover police who could pay the fines with money he gave them, police said.

The Associated Press reported that Dobies' attorney didn't return a call Friday and Forsythe doesn't have one yet.

_{Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:07:11 -0500}

News Source: MedleyStory More Local News Stories