You know your own horse but imagine trying to get help identifying your horse from strangers in an urgent situation. Imagine how you would be able to prove that you are the legal owner of a horse who has been sold by another person without your knowledge or permission. Imagine that your horse has been taken to a livestock auction and is for sale to the highest bidder who may be a Kill Buyer for the horse slaughter market. Many horses don't have freeze brands like our BLM mustang Sage in this photo. While many people don't realize it, being able to identify and provide proof of ownership could mean the difference between life and death if your horse inadvertently ends up in the horse slaughter pipeline. While many disappearances of horses are due to theft by strangers, there are many others that have been put in harm's way through the actions of friends, family or neighbors that claimed to be the legal owner at the time of the transaction. Please consider drawing up a contract ANYTIME you leave your horse in the care of another person even if it is your best friend or a family member. If your horse is sold or given away you may find that the fiasco turns into a he said / she said scenario that law enforcement will refer to as a civil case. If your horse has been sold into a low end auction, there will NOT be time to get a lawyer and go to court to reclaim your horse. Your horse may be sold to a Kill Buyer, loaded up and transported across the U.S. border north or south. IF they survive the brutal journey on "The Road To Hell", their harrowing nightmare will continue while they are being terrorized, traumatized and tortured ultimately ending with them being butchered. Many horses fail to be properly "stunned" and will be conscience through many steps of this barbaric process. All horse owners (including those NOT leaving their horses in the care of another person) should keep detailed records with all the pertinent information in this article in case of an emergency. The information needed may include copies of your Bill of Sale, Coggin's paperwork, vet documents, current pictures (should be some when shed out and in winter hair), brands, tatoos, microchip numbers, registration papers). It is recommended that you compile this information, place it in an envelope mail it to yourself (with a return receipt requested). When you receive it do NOT open it but place it in a safe place. When you need it will be ready and be postmarked with the date. Because when you go out to feed and find your horse missing is not the time to compile the information needed to provide to the people you will need to help you find and reclaim the horse/horses as yours. And you will need help. You will need law enforcement, you will need friends and you will need social media if you hope to find your horse before they disappear into the great abyss we now call the Slaughter Pipeline.
For example if you have to leave your horse with friends/family and they sell or give away your horse, they will claim to be the owner and even possibly sign a fraudulent bill of sale. The buyer has no responsibility to validate the authenticity of their signature as the legal owner. If local authorities are contacted and you tell them your friend/sister/brother sold YOUR horse without your permission and your friend/sister/brother claimed to be the actual owner and therefore supposedly had legal right to sell the horse, what do you think law enforcement will do? It will become a HE SAID-SHE SAID scenario. They will probably describe it as a civil matter and recommend you contact an attorney. On the other hand, if the CARETAKER has signed a Equine Caretaker Contract and the details of the arrangement are spelled out in the document, law enforcement will have something to review to give validity to your claim. I wish we still lived in a world where a hand shake and a person's word were enough but my friend those times are long gone. Do not take a chance, no matter how slim, that your horse can end up in harm's way because someone you trusted betrayed you by disposing of your horse without your knowledge.
Horse thefts are on the rise in modern America but the legal system's ability to deal with the issue remains in the dark ages. If your horse is stolen by a stranger call local law enforcement immediately. Contact all vets, humane societies, animal control agencies and equine rescues in the area. Immediately go in PERSON to all area livestock auctions to look for your horse. Reach out to media outlets and try to get your story out to the public. Post detailed descriptions on social media along with contact information and recent photos. The on-line community has far reaching capabilities to reach many people in a short period of time.
Do NOT give up, even when it seems that it's hopeless. There is always a chance that someone somewhere knows what happened to your horse and may be able to provide helpful information. As long as they are still alive there is still a possibility that you may be able to bring them home. Keep looking until they are found or there is positive proof of their demise. Please see the links below to websites that possibly be useful in recovering your equine friend. For a stolen horse, time is NOT on their side, do not delay, you really are their only chance of being found in time.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN EQUINE CARETAKERS CONTRACT BUT NOT INTENDED TO COVER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES OR LEGAL DETAILS IN YOUR PARTICULAR STATE OR COUNTRY. USE IT AS A GUIDE TO MAKE YOUR OWN CONTRACT. IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF YOUR CONTRACT PLEASE CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY/LEGAL PROFESSIONAL.
Remember to add any additional information that is specific to your owner/caretaker arrangement. If the caretaker has any reservations about signing a contract, you should have reservations about placing your horse in that individual's care.
Another reminder: It's not about a lack of trust, it's about protection for your horse and increasing the chance of getting law enforcement to assist you in recovering your horse in case something goes wrong between owner and caretaker. Better safe than sorry!
For example if you have to leave your horse with friends/family and they sell or give away your horse, they will claim to be the owner and even possibly sign a fraudulent bill of sale. The buyer has no responsibility to validate the authenticity of their signature as the legal owner. If local authorities are contacted and you tell them your friend/sister/brother sold YOUR horse without your permission and your friend/sister/brother claimed to be the actual owner and therefore supposedly had legal right to sell the horse, what do you think law enforcement will do? It will become a HE SAID-SHE SAID scenario. They will probably describe it as a civil matter and recommend you contact an attorney. On the other hand, if the CARETAKER has signed a Equine Caretaker Contract and the details of the arrangement are spelled out in the document, law enforcement will have something to review to give validity to your claim. I wish we still lived in a world where a hand shake and a person's word were enough but my friend those times are long gone. Do not take a chance, no matter how slim, that your horse can end up in harm's way because someone you trusted betrayed you by disposing of your horse without your knowledge.
Horse thefts are on the rise in modern America but the legal system's ability to deal with the issue remains in the dark ages. If your horse is stolen by a stranger call local law enforcement immediately. Contact all vets, humane societies, animal control agencies and equine rescues in the area. Immediately go in PERSON to all area livestock auctions to look for your horse. Reach out to media outlets and try to get your story out to the public. Post detailed descriptions on social media along with contact information and recent photos. The on-line community has far reaching capabilities to reach many people in a short period of time.
Do NOT give up, even when it seems that it's hopeless. There is always a chance that someone somewhere knows what happened to your horse and may be able to provide helpful information. As long as they are still alive there is still a possibility that you may be able to bring them home. Keep looking until they are found or there is positive proof of their demise. Please see the links below to websites that possibly be useful in recovering your equine friend. For a stolen horse, time is NOT on their side, do not delay, you really are their only chance of being found in time.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN EQUINE CARETAKERS CONTRACT BUT NOT INTENDED TO COVER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES OR LEGAL DETAILS IN YOUR PARTICULAR STATE OR COUNTRY. USE IT AS A GUIDE TO MAKE YOUR OWN CONTRACT. IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF YOUR CONTRACT PLEASE CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY/LEGAL PROFESSIONAL.
Remember to add any additional information that is specific to your owner/caretaker arrangement. If the caretaker has any reservations about signing a contract, you should have reservations about placing your horse in that individual's care.
Another reminder: It's not about a lack of trust, it's about protection for your horse and increasing the chance of getting law enforcement to assist you in recovering your horse in case something goes wrong between owner and caretaker. Better safe than sorry!
| equine_caretaker_contract_jan2014.pdf |
Links to websites useful to horse owners. We will add more links as we discover additional sites of reputable equine related organizations.
http://www.NetPosse.com/
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/horses/tips
/protecting_your_horse.html
http://www.NetPosse.com/
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/horses/tips
/protecting_your_horse.html
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