Call to Action

The Lucky 13 Hoarding & Starvation Case

A horrifying emergency involving mustangs in a hoarding / starvation case in Michigan has been brought to our attention. Another hoarder took on wild horses and knowingly starved them to death. Of the 39 mustangs she acquired, 26 are deceased and 13 are barely alive. All but one of the foals born at her place perished. 12 equines scored a body score of 1, and 1 scored a body score of 2. They are skin on bones.

The survivors are now in good hands at the ranch of Cady and Kody LaPoint. We have worked with Cady in the past and know they will do right by these horses. They train mustangs, but are not accepting any more clients at this time because they have taken in all the Lucky 13 survivors.

They need help with feed, hay, and veterinary care to bring these wild horses back into health. Clare has donated her personal funds and has posted fundraisers to help them. If you would like to donate, there are several ways to do it:

Amazon Wish List                                                                                                                                                     The Lucky 13 | Registry & Gifting | Cady LaPoint | Charlotte, MI 

Go Fund Me                                                                                                                                                        LaPoint Ranch | Rehabilitate The Lucky 13| Cady LaPoint Organizer

The Tractor Supply Company Store #272                                                                                                             You can purchase items directly from their feed store. Please put the order under “Pickup by Cady or Kody LaPoint” and let them know that you placed an order.

1650 Packard HWY
Charlotte, MI  48813                                                                                                                                              Tel: (517) 543-5858                                                                                                                                              

Please follow LaPoint / L4 Ranch’s Facebook Page for updates on the situation, which is unfolding.

Background posted by Cady on the Lucky 13 rescue:

On 7/30/2024, Kody and I were alerted to an ongoing animal abuse and neglect situation in northern Michigan. Animal Control has been amazing in their prompt and serious handling of the situation. On 8/3/2024, the surviving horses came into our care. We are no strangers to assisting in cases like this with mustangs, but what unfolded is the most horrific thing I have ever heard of. This story is not easy to hear.

Kody and I were informed of 14 equines, mostly mustangs, seized on a property with 25 dead horses onsite. Within the first 24hrs another went down and had to be euthanized. Now there are 26 dead and 13 surviving, barely.

12 equines scored a body score of 1, and 1 scored a body score of 2. If you are not familiar with this scoring system they are hide on bone. Not only are they starved, but they have also been standing belly deep in mud and dead carcasses. So many of the survivors are suffering from extensive skin wounds from the moisture and filth they were living in.

In October of 2023, animal control was on sight at the property and everything was in acceptable condition. In May of 2024, one of the horses got loose and was running around the area for 2 weeks before capture. That was the first sign something was wrong.

These horses stood in tiny mud lots with no access to shelter, food, or water for MONTHS! They were surrounded by their dead and dying herd mates. No horse should ever have to consider consuming their dead foal or dead herd mate to survive, but that's what mustangs do, they survive.

There was hay on the property but the owner chose to watch them die, even though she had enough to continue to care for them properly.

There were untitled BLM horses (yes, the BLM is aware), titled BLM horses (none were AIP), sale authority horses, Forest Service horses. The pregnant mustangs she bought out of kill pens that foaled at her place had to watch their babies die.

Every single baby born there is dead except for one foal, who was buried so deep in mud he could not even move around. Imagine waiting and hoping your mom walks by close enough so you can nurse.

There are two horses on the property that were sold to this woman by a party that knew darn well she already had too many horses and did not properly care for or train them. They didn't care, they just saw a financial opportunity. If you know the original owners of those horses, the animals will not be returned to them if they are even alive, or survive, as they knew what they were doing. No one should ever support a hoarder.

I am equally devastated for every horse there, but there are some many of you know and love as well:

* Rockstar - South Steens | sorrel | documented band stallion (Alive)

* Loki - South Steens | black | documented band stallion (RIP)

* OQ44srM - Onaqui mare | tag 7991 | lilac roan (RIP)

* Koiyah - Sand Wash Basin | palomino mare (Alive)

* 2 other South Steens pintos that we are working on identifying.

Many, many more have been lost or have not yet been processed to know who they are or where they're from.

We help with these cases a lot, but never on such a big scale with all the horses in this bad of shape. We did not agree to do this without being able to provide a soft landing. These horses have been through hell and they deserve all of the best care they can possibly get to ensure they are safe and taken care of for the rest of their lives. We cannot do that without support from others.

 

Mustangs and burros need your help 

In addition to supporting our work by donating, becoming a patron on Patreon or sponsoring a Skydog, there are several important pieces of legislation to protect American equines currently moving through Congress. It only takes a few minutes to contact your Rep and Senators and urge them to support these bills:

Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act of 2023 (H.R. 3475 in the House / S.2307 in the Senate). This bill will shut down the slaughter pipeline that sends some 20,000 American horses and donkeys to savagely monstrous deaths in foreign slaughterhouses every year.

The Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act of 2023 (H. R. 3656) This bill will prohibit the use of helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft in the management of wild mustangs and burros on public lands, and require a report on humane alternatives to current management practices.

Ejiao Act of 2023 (H.R. 6021). To ​​ban the sale or transportation of ejiao, a gelatin made from boiling donkey skins, or products containing ejiao in interstate or foreign commerce, which brutally kills millions of donkeys primarily for beauty products and Chinese medicine.

You can Contact Members of Congress by calling the Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121‬, submitting contact forms on their individual websites, or sending one email to all three simultaneously at www.democracy.io

See our How to Help menu for other actions to ban zebra hunting at US canned hunt ranches, stop production of Premarin & other PMU drugs, and defund the Adoption Incentive Program.