News Release

December 6, 2006

Contact: Abigail Smith
Dir. of Development & Marketing
Phone: (603) 772-2921 ext. 106

Stratham, NH
For Immediate Release

5 Horses in Protective Custody

Stratham NH – On Sunday, December 3, 2006 the New Hampshire SPCA Field Services Division and members of its volunteer Disaster Response Team removed 5 horses and 3 cats from a property in Rye, NH. The NHSPCA worked in cooperation with the Rye Police Department, a local veterinarian and a horse behavior specialist to evaluate and subsequently remove the horses from the premises.

Four of the horses are being held at the NHSPCA’s Adoption Center in Stratham, as are the three cats. The horses are each significantly underweight and require substantial work on their feet. The fifth horse requires serious medical attention and is currently at a local animal hospital.

The NHSPCA will be going to court in an effort to gain ownership of the animals. It is likely that cruelty charges will be pursued because this is the owner’s second offense. The owner of the animals pled guilty and was convicted by Portsmouth District Court in 1999 of cruelty to animals. The investigation into this case is currently still underway.

The NHSPCA is seeking financial support to rehabilitate the horses and provide the necessary medical treatment. Donations may be made to the SOS Fund via the web site at nhspca.org, by phone at (603) 772-2921 or by mail to SOS Fund, PO Box 196, Stratham NH 03885.

The New Hampshire SPCA is a community resource center that provides animal adoption, education, investigation and sheltering services in a professional and compassionate way. The Adoption Center is open from 11 am – 4pm on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11 am – 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday, and closed on Wednesday. For more information about the NHSPCA, visit www.nhspca.org.

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