Guest opinion: Karen Pomroy

Animal cruelty must be punished

Miscarriage of justice involving horse dragged behind pickup screams for public outcry

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Here, Kachina (left) is introduced to Equine Voices' Premarin mares - horses rescued from farms where they were kept pregnant so their urine could be collected for women's hormonal therapies that no longer are used.

KAREN POMROY

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Horse advocates attended a three-day trial in March on behalf of Kachina, the beautiful draft mare who was beaten and dragged behind a truck in Florence on Aug. 3.

After a 911 call, a Pinal County sheriff's corporal arrived on the scene and spotted a horse on its side being dragged behind a truck.

The driver and his 13-year-old daughter got out of the truck, and the girl began kicking the horse in the head, yelling at it to get up, the officer reported.

Her father retrieved a PVC pipe from the truck bed and began beating the animal, also yelling at the horse to get up.

The corporal repeatedly ordered the two to stop and was forced to draw his weapon.

The horse was bleeding from the nostrils. She had numerous contusions, cuts on the lower jaw and neck, and abrasions on her hocks, open wounds from being beaten with the pipe, and a road rash burn from the dragging.

Gordon Allen Bates and his daughter were arrested on animal cruelty charges.

Bates was tried March 17-19 and found not guilty of felony animal cruelty charges.

Kachina would have died, however, if the corporal had not stepped in to loosen the deadly noose around her neck.

After much negotiation, Kachina was rescued by Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary in Amado, where she has found peaceful sanctuary.

She arrived April 1 and has just been introduced to the main PMU herd at the sanctuary. Kachina is seeking sponsors to help with her feed and daily care.

It is known that people who abuse animals go on to commit acts of violence against people.

Bates is a geriatric nurse who, according to law enforcement reports, engaged his young daughter in the beating and near strangulation of a horse to the point of collapse.

The public should show no tolerance for such acts of abuse and cruelty toward any living creature.

We applaud sheriff's Cpl. Albert Phelps for his actions and for bringing this clear case of animal abuse to trial, and we salute Ty Morgan for investigating the case.

Attorney Lawrence Wharton is to be commended for prosecuting the case, as is Superior Court Judge Bradley Soos for hearing the case.

It is unfortunate that the Florence jurors were not persuaded by the cruelty inflicted on Kachina and the impact this violent act may have on Bates' daughter and the public.

Perhaps with public outcry, we can prevent such vicious acts in the future.

Karen Pomroy is president and founder of Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary, www.equinevoices.org.

Read All Comments » 15 TOTAL COMMENTS

cowgurl52

May 5, 2009 @ 9:57am

In response to Halloday's comment about Ms. Pomroy's using this to raise funds? Aparently you find that animal cruelty is acceptable and "normal" for someone to continue his work as a caretaker of elderly and children. Ms. Pomroy has stepped up when no one else has, she has brought this case to the attention of the public the real "jurors". I know living in arizona amongst the horse abusers here that beating a horse is "normal" behavior for some arizonans especially those living in rural areas, such as pinal county. Its possible that the jurors were some of those arizonans who also believe that is normal behavior. If we all sat back and just watched miscarriages of justice occur how would ever any "rights" happen. If it takes activism to stimulate others into thinking outside of the box or start our younger generation into a different way of treating other living creatures then so be it. I support Karen Pomroy and all of her "activism". It also takes money support 40 horses that have been mistreated and abused by "normal" the PMU industry. Karen also takes in other abused and unwanted horses left to starve by other "normal" people so please everyone Just Donate to her cause. Another thing that is not realized is that the horse was going to be given back to the peson who abused her and Ms. Pomroy had to purchase the horse to save her..in arizona horses are considered real property....so there had to be a value involved...so keep on donating and donating so she can save as many horses as possible.

staretta

Apr 20, 2009 @ 8:43am

Thanks for all the previous posts & info. I couldn't find it on the petabuse.com. Could you post the exact dates, etc.? I would like to see what is written there. Which county was it in? Two were mentioned--Maricopa & Pima. As it seems there were felony laws set in place, I know we would all like to see why they were not charged. I fight against animal abuse everyday in GA. & as was stated, we know that it "ALWAYS" (ststs. prove it) leads to human abuse. That's the end result we are all fighting for also. In this case, with him being a geriatric nurse, it is most urgent that we address this. I know I'm shocked at the outcome as well as many others. We could write aritcles to the local paper also. Thank you.

deserthoofbeats

Apr 16, 2009 @ 6:42pm

Mr. Halloday appears biased against Equine Voices as a horse rescue. There are those in the community, maingly horse slaughter profiteers, that resent the effect of educating the public against horse abuse and horror of horse slaughter.

As a person who attend the 3 day jury trial, I can assure you this article is factual. I am dismayed that the rural community of Florence did not find this geriactic nurse guilty. He is taking care of someone's grandfather or grandmother now. In Maricopa or Pima county he would have been convicted. Unfortunately, conviction for animal abuse is where convictions of child abuse used to be. Hopefully, with education by compassionate,devoted places like Equine Voices, justice will prevail in the future and in the best situation, animal abuse will stop.

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