Published: November 25, 2009 11:21 am      

Neglected horses' fate in limbo

By Randy Mitchell

Staff Writer



VANOSS — Pontotoc County sheriff’s deputies were waiting for a phone call Wednesday which would decide the fate of eight reportedly neglected horses.

Deputies had a seizure warrant and were ready to confiscate the animals before receiving word a good Samaritan wants to give the horses a home.

The horses were believed to be neglected after authorities received dozens of calls from concerned residents over the last few months.

The property, about 10 acres, has very little grass available for the horses.

The residents said the horses were underweight and many had died. Sheriff John Christian said they have attempted to get the owner, Novena Davis, 64, to get the animals healthy all through the summer months but it just hasn’t happened.

“We’ve had complaints from a hundred different people about the horses,” Christian said. “We’ve told her time and time again to get the horses taken care of or we would take possession of them.”

Davis said the horses belonged to her daughter whose ex-husband was ordered to pay for the animals' upkeep.

“I’ve actually got court papers showing he was supposed to take care of these horses until they sold,” Davis said. “I have notarized documents from the courthouse.”

Christian said even though Davis is not the legal owner, because they are on her land, she is responsible for their welfare.

“They’re not her horses per se, but she has a responsibility (to take care of them) because she lives there and the horses are actually in her custody,” Christian said.

According to a report by Deputy Kenny Heck, sheriff’s deputies first checked the horses in early July and noticed they were a little underweight. When they checked again two weeks later, the horses appeared to be healthier.

In October, more calls from concerned residents came in saying the horses were “looking bad again.” Davis reportedly told deputies she is on a fixed income and it was “hard for her to take better care of them.”

This past weekend, more calls came in reporting more horses have died.

“We’ve gotten calls all weekend,” Undersheriff Arnold Scott said.

Callers also said Davis was not feeding the horses right and there is no hay available.

“I don’t care what they say, I have been buying hay,” Davis said. “I buy it once a month because I’m on a fixed income. And now I have less horses and that once a month is going to be a lot of hay but now he (the sheriff) says, ‘No you can’t have your horses any more.’”

Davis said she believes the horses poor conditions are not her fault.

“Everybody has harassed me,” Davis said. “I've had the cops out here all summer when it wasn’t even my fault threatening me with fines and taking my horses when I was trying to feed them and make them well.”

Deputies received word from a woman in Holdenville Tuesday who said she had 60 acres available and would take the horses.

Authorities said if she can take them and prove she is taking good care of the animals, they would hold off on seizing them.

When deputies checked on the horses Monday, they discovered two dead on the property and the eight that were left were underweight, according to deputies.