I cannot understand why it takes "concerned" witnesses so long to report seeing
an animal in distress. This particular pony had been tethered to a tree for over a
year and a half. It is also believed that his little mare friend had died during the
winter from neglect and in need of vet care.
When Happy Trails' members came upon this very sad scene of an abused pony, they
reported: "...he was standing in a never-ending sea of deep mud and sludge, his
shoulder held together with metal staples and the dried blood on his eye was mixed
with mud and had become hard like cement."
I have to admit that one of the things which often comes to my mind when I read
accounts like this is - did the owners attend a Christian church or a Jewish synagogue,
or a Muslim Mosque? Who are these people who may claim to be religious and yet
treat their fellow living creatures so abominably? And what are the leaders of these
religious bodies doing about enlightening their members about being compassionate?
I feel there is a general lack of compassionate teaching -not only in places of worship
but in schools, and of course most importantly, from parents. This lack makes it so
much easier for cruel people to feel no guilt or compunction re their cruel and
dastardly acts.
The pony suffered from a long list of neglect over a long period of time. Recently, a pit
bull who lived on the same property had attacked the pony - hanging onto his muzzle and
forcing him to the ground. He then proceeded to rip off part of the pony's eye lid. With
no veterinarian help given him, his eye swelled and became infected. Finally, witnesses
reported that the pony was in need of medical aid, and a humane officer was called in.
He brought with him a vet to examine the pony. And unbelievably, during the vet visit
this pit bull again attacked the pony - this time tearing open his left shoulder.
I love dogs and I believe most of them are as gentle and sweet as their kind owners. I
also believe some are unfortunate as this pit bull to be owned by cruel people, and as
a result, become vicious like their owners. The vet had no choice but to euthanize him.
He would now never again be able to ravage this poor defenseless pony.
But it is also terrible to be the children of a despicable parent like Florida's 24- year-old
Wilana Joenel Frazier who were seen torturing two 8-week-old kittens in a park. The two
kittens were beaten with an aluminum bat. One of the kittens, Dexter is clinging to life,
but his brother died because of his injuries.
Per Care2's account: "Frazier hit the kittens with a baseball bat and encouraged her
small children to kick the animals and throw them against a tree. Then they placed the
kittens on a swing. When one of the animals died, the boys put him in a trash can and
covered him with water." This woman makes "Momma dearest'' seem almost saintly in
comparison.
Linda Christian, a County Animal Service officer took Dexter, who by this time had been
rescued, to the Pet Luv Nonprofit Spay and Neuter Clinic where this small ball of fur
has been holding his own. Rick Silvani, president of Pet Luv said of this cruelty , "All
animals have a right to life, but a helpless, defenseless kitten...You don't know what to
say. It's just incomprehensible."
Mahatma Gandhi knew what to say: "......I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the
more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man."
Florida's Felony Animal abuse Law is new and needs a precendent-setting case which
will deter animal cruelty. It is hoped that what happened to Dexter and his brother
may well be this pecendent-setting case, and that they will get the justice that they deserve.
Now back to our abused pony. It was determined that because of his open wounds and
stitches- living in mud and filth which covered him would make this an unfit place for him
to heal. And so he was taken to live at Happy Trails.
Unbelievably, the cruel owners thought they deserved to have their pony back -which
thank God did not happen. Instead they were found guilty of animal abuse and are not
permitted to own horses or farm animals for the next five years. Disappointing though.
What about a fine and prison time? Obviously, Ohio needs to legislate laws which
would make animal cruelty a felony action punishable with a fine and/or prison time as
well.
Happy Trails decided to give the pony a new name - a Happy Trail's name. They gave
him a beautiful-sounding Italian name - Lo Sono Libero which means "I am free." And
yes, Lo Sono Libero is now free to move on and be adopted to a loving family. But first,
he must finish the healing process re his wounds.
Lo Sono Libero's eyelid had been stitched by the first vet after the dog attack and now
additional stitches were added to his eyelid. He was also taken to OSU Veterinary
Teaching Hospital in Columbus to see if more could be done to repair his eye.
The good news is that Lo Sono Libero is recovering nicely. The metal staples have
been removed from his shoulder and the stitches were removed from his eyelid. But
the eyelid repair is not complete, so efforts must be made to keep his eye from getting
too dry. Still everyone is happy and so must be this "new" pony with a new name -
Lo Sono Libero.
We hear so many stories like this of animal abuse, but thank God for the ones which
end like Lo Sono Libero's. Run free dear pony and be loved is our wish for you and all
the ponies and horses who have known nothing but suffering and pain from cruel people.
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