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Now hearty horses get eye from 35 visitors
Filed 0:00 - 6/3/97
By JAVIER ERIK OLVERA
Californian staff writer
Bonnie McIntyre hasn't been able to take her mind off the horrifying images
of the Arabian horses
found emaciated and neglected near Caliente a year and a half ago.
And Monday, standing alongside the corral that holds the herd of Arabian
horses at the Kern
County Fairgrounds, McIntyre couldn't take her eyes off of them.
``Each one of these animals has struggled to survive,'' said McIntyre of
Pearblossom, who kept
stretching her arm through the rusted railings of the corral to pet the
animals. ``All they really need
is some tender loving care and one-on-one attention. They're great as it is,
but all they really need
is some love.''
About 35 people made their way to the fairgrounds Monday to look at the
animals that will go up
for adoption Saturday.
When the herd was found in September 1995, the horses' skeletal frames could
easily be seen
under their thin, flea-infested coats, investigators said.
And despite manes tangled in clumps and hairless scars, the horses have been
nursed back to
health at the Lerdo Wild Horse Facility.
``They are doing very well,'' said Kern County Animal Control officer Ed
Hanks, who was in
charge of the investigation.
The 87-horse herd was found on property occupied by Jennifer Washburn-Shaw.
Washburn-Shaw and her ex-husband, Alan Shaw, pleaded no contest in June 1996
to 41 counts
of felony animal cruelty and one count of failure to feed a herd of horses.
They were detained at
Lerdo Jail for 30 days, then placed under house arrest for the rest of their
one-year sentences.
The two now live in Los Angeles.
The herd, which has since grown to 104, was taken into custody by Kern County
animal control
officers who found the horses to be malnourished and abused, officials said.
The case was believed to have been one of the worst cases of animal cruelty
in Kern County
history because of the number of animals it included, reports said.
The horses were owned by Hazel Wilbur, the mother of Alan Shaw, and Richard
Laughter.
Wilbur and Laughter appealed their forfeiture of ownership last year, but the
case fell within the
guidelines of a law that gave the court the power to act as it did.
Adopters stressed some concern about getting the Arabian Horse Registration
of America to
transfer the papers to them because Wilbur and Laughter would have to grant
permission,
officials said.
The minimum bid for each of the horses is $500. One person can purchase up to
two horses. If
more than one person wants a horse, the auction process will begin, Hanks
said.
Those who wish to purchase a horse must apply with Animal Control. To receive
an application,
call the county's Arabian horse adoption information line at 868-0528.
Those who want to catch a glimpse of the herd can go to the fairgrounds from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
through Thursday. The adoption begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Kern County
Fairgrounds,
1142 P St.
A second week of viewing and an additional day of adoption will be held next
week, with
viewing June 9 through 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the adoptions held June
14 at 9 a.m.
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