A Case for Agressive Prosecution

There are times, I suppose, for some leniency in law enforcement; times, perhaps, where forgiveness and rehabilitation is in order.

This is NOT one of those times.

LEFT FOR DEAD: "A middle-aged bay gelding, along with three other horses, were used by two Georgia men, Curtis Heyden, 37, and his father, Craig Heyden, 71, to ride and pack in the [Montana Wilderness] for two months during the summer of 2008. Obviously deprived of proper food and water and even shoes, the emaciated horses were forced to carry the men and their equipment while having large, open saddle sores that went bone-deep. Their story is heart-wrenching, in part because the owners have admitted no wrong.....[good samaritans were out on the trails and] they came upon [an] emaciated horse lying flat in the hot sun. They were both shocked at the sight and thought he was dead, until he nickered. He was still saddled, terribly thin, and had oozing sores covered by meat-eating bees and biting flies. The sores were open all the way to cartilage and bone on his withers, and his shoeless feet were too worn and painful to stand on." (You may read the whole story here - warning: graphic photos of severe abuse.)

It has come to my attention, through Fugly Horse of the Day, that the prosecutor in this case does not intend to be aggressive. In light of this, I have provided my letter to him, and his contact info, below. Please send him a note...


John Bell,
Prosecutor
Ravalli County Attorney's Office
205 Bedford Street, Ste C
Hamilton , MT 59840
email: rcao@ravallicounty.mt.gov

November 20, 2008

Dear Mr. Bell:

It has come to my attention that prosecutors in Montana are typically lenient on cases of animal abuse. It is my intention to encourage an aggressive prosecution of Curits and Craig Heyden, and I hope to provide you not only with a reason for this prosecution, but an argument for conviction.

Horses are creatures that have served humans all throughout history - they help us work, play, travel and compete internationally in equestrian sports. They are the only animal which is part of the Olympic games. They helped form the modern world, settle the Americas and they were instrumental in defining the most American of occupations: the American Cowboy. In short, Americans need to step up and protect horses from abuse, because horses helped form the United States that they enjoy today. Horses carried soldiers, cowboys, frontiersmen, travelers and the first mailmen (Pony Express!). Horses, like dogs, help humans in their work, their sport, their leisure time and even in therapy. They deserve respect, and at the very least, humane treatment and consideration.

With that being said and dually understood, I can sympathize with the difficulty that authorities might have in drawing the line between abuse and the bare minimum of adequate care. I can understand that at times, radical animal rights activists tend to act erratically and place the needs of animals above the needs of humans; these activists give ethical, humane supporters of fair treatment for all living things a bad reputation.

Taking into account the details of the Heyden case, the line has clearly been drawn for you: there can be no argument that "perhaps the horses were just a little skinny", or that "maybe the elements had just been a bit hard on them". No, in the Heyden case, you have clear evidence of gross abuse that borders on the sadistic. This is one of the worst cases of abuse that I have ever seen. Those horses were starved, dehydrated to the point of utter exhaustion, and bore saddle sores that could not have been overlooked by any decent human being. No rational person could reason that a sore measuring about 1 square foot was nothing to worry about, and not understand the pain that would be inflicted on the equine by saddling it.

Putting a saddle on a horse with a sore like that is equivalent to putting a heavy backpack on the bare skin of a human burn victim!

It is incomprehensible to me, an avid equestrian and local government official, that the good people of Montana would not support the extensive, aggressive prosecution of the Heydens. While I can sympathize with the loss of Mrs. Heyden and the men's desire to take a trip in order to heal, I cannot condone the horrendous abuse of the horses. There is no reason good enough to allow these men to escape prosecution.

In summary, I urge you to weigh the ethical implications of your actions. While prosecution of the Heydens might not alleviate the pain and terrible suffering of the equines they mistreated, their convictions and penalties will discourage this severe abuse from happening again. As the public's prosecutor, it is your duty to uphold what is in the best interest for the society that you serve. Ask yourself: Does Montana intend to be the type of society that allows horrendous acts to go unpunished? Is Montana the type of place where humans have no respect for other living things? If your answer to these questions is 'no', then you must prosecute the Heydens to the fullest extent of the law.

Thank you for your kind consideration. I wish you the best of luck and look forward to learning of a conviction and strict sentencing.

Sincerely,

[my name here]
http://www.watchingpuddles.blogspot.com/