The Maine horse community can breathe just a tiny bit
easier tonight knowing that horses have been removed from the harmful hands of Brett and Alexis Ingraham at Fair Play Farm in Clinton, Maine.
A search warrant was issued and state troopers and Animal Welfare officials were at the farm all day today, June 3.
Some witnesses saw as many as 15 horses removed from the property. Records and other animals, including a dog, were seized.
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[Click here for Channel 13 coverage]
Kennebec County District Attorney Evert Fowle told NickerNews he will sit down with investigators, review evidence, and determine the scope and severity of
the alleged crimes. He expects charges to be brought within the week.
“Animals may be the most compelling part of it,” said Fowle. “But there’s other evidence as well.”
Assistant District Attorney Paul Rucha has handled the case thus far and, said Fowle, “I don’t think there is anyone else in the state more qualified to handle this case.”
Horrific treatment of Fair Play Farm animals first came to the surface after Meris Bickford delivered a complaint to the Animal Welfare Program in February.
[Click here for Bickford complaint]
At the time, AWP stated it was monitoring the FPF animals. State Department of Agriculture officials have offered a wide spectrum on statements to justify inaction – from “There’s nothing wrong there.” to “We’re working on herd management with the Ingrahams.”
Meanwhile, the greater Maine horse community has clamored for more action to help horses at Fair Play Farm and to address the long and miserable history of AWP complacency. Many horse advocates contacted their representatives and media interests in an effort to bring more attention to this two-pronged issue: open horse neglect and state inaction.
Sources for NickerNews reported trailers transporting horses from the Tardiff Road farm during the day. And at approximately 6pm, three loaded trailers containing as many as seven horses pulled away from the farm and headed south on Interstate 95. It was not clear where the state was placing the neglected animals.
Click here for Morning Sentinel article.
Despite the offers of rescue agencies and dozens of Good Samaritans, none contacted by NickerNews said they were enlisted to help with the seizure.
But bottom line, at least, is that animals have been removed from harm's way.
Said Fowle: “The animals need to be protected. The evidence needs to be preserved.”
AMEN to that!
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AMEN is right now we see how it all plays out.
Thanks!
This is the best news I've heard in MONTHS! I can't wait to hear these charges, and I'm looking forward to watching their first court case on June 22 for the charges in Andro County. Let the next battle begin...because we are all ready & waiting! HAPPY DAY!!! And a huge pat on the back to NickerNews and all others who've submitted reports & provided evidence.
Thank you to everyone who has helped to bring a small measure of accountability to the system and a large portion of free choice hay to those emaciated horses. It is a beginning.
FANTSTIC!! Such great news.
Fingers are now crossed that justice is truly served.
Best wishes to all these poor animals who are starting a new life today! Many thanks for all those who cared enough to keep the pressure on and the accountability issues out in the open. I think the train has left the station....
God be with these beautiful animals as they recover!
This makes me so happy and so sad all at the same time. I'm THRILLED something has finally been done and we have the attention of those that can make it better for these animals. I'm also very sad that dozens if not hundreds of horses have suffered in the hands of these people for many, many years.
None of us can change the passed but we can be hopeful that the future of these horses will include a much better, safer, happier life for them.
It was public awareness and public out cry that got the ball rolling. Thanks to everyone that took time to write, educate someone or file a complaint, you all made a difference.
I DO NOT know where these horses went, but there is one amazing facitily that is totally capable of rehabbing these horses, the MSSPA and I'd be willing to bet they went there.
ANYONE that can spare $5, $10, $25 or $100 PLEASE consider making a donation to them, PLEASE! Even if these horses are not there, the MSSPA goes above and beyond EVERY single day, day in and day out to provide for horses in the same, if not worse situation of what these horses have endured.
I'm looking forward to updates, and again THANKS anyone and everyone that took the time to help in this matter!
Have a great day all and remember to hug your ponies!!!!
Thank God.
Many thanks to many people in Maine for fighting for these animals. A huge step has been made toward better animal welfare control with this effort but it's only the first step of many. It's been an uphill battle for sure but that little bit of light at the end of the tunnel is enough to keep me believing that animals will not be allowed to suffer in Maine any longer as long as we work together to keep them safe.
...and how many more are left behind? I am amazed that it took this long for action from the State of Maine, and hope that a careful note and record keeping will prove the allegations to be true. Of course one only needed to ride by and look at the spines and haunches on these sick and starving animals. Animal collection is a psychiatric disease - hopefully a treatment plan will be put in place so this does not happen again. Bravo to the horse community for keeping the pressure on and eye open to this case.
Yes - good news but...my first thought was, "Where are they going?" My heart would rest easier if I knew...any other way to find out?
I live very close to the farm and watched most of the day. At around 7pm I went by for the last time, I saw 7 or 8 horses still in the pasture. Why? They (the state) should have taken them all, even if they belonged to the Ingrahams. I also hope the news stations do some follow up on the story and the newspaper as well. And what about the case already pending on Alexis on the sale of diseased horse?
The owners of this farm and others like them should do time - I got sick when I saw the news just now. Though I would love to own a horse, I can't afford it - but I still love them and hate to see them abused. If there is a petition, I will sign it!
Long over due but not they can finally have the care and attention they deserve, reading this puts a big knot in my throat and alot of anger on how someone can treat animals that way.
They own a stallion that I tried to purchase when he came off the track named "Baby Rusch". They got to him first...so sad. I wonder where he is now. :(
Why is AWP spending taxpayer dollars to board the seized horses rather than placing them with the experts at MSSPA? MSSPA cares for State seized horses at NO COST to the State of Maine!!
Is there any truth to this that they shoot their horses?!!!! These people are bringing a baby into the world as well..scary thought
I am so sick and absofrickinlootly tired of official indifference to animal suffering. Kuddos to y'all up there in Maine. Keep up the good work, and bless you for helping get those horses out of Fair Play. I know what it's like to try to get the authorities to act... No better down here than up there. You go, ladies, and continue to help make a difference.
My post about "they shoot horses, don't they" was actually submitted awhile back, before I knew the answer to the question. Interesting that it would show up now, tho. Might explain how you can go from 100 horses, to 20 or 50, so quickly.
My daughter and I made a complaint to the state and to the Westbrook Humane Society in November of last year. We too had gone to Fair Play to look at a horse advertised for sale. We apparently were suppose to go to P & Q Stables, but went to Fair Play by mistake because that is the place the horse was advertised under. What we found there was unbelieveable. There was one horse that no longer looked like a horse and desperately needed to be put down. The horses was obviously in distress and had no water. There was a "Keep Out," sign on the barn, but I was more concerned about getting water to the animals so I entered. I can't even properly describe what I found on entering the barn. I think there were 6 horses, one a foal, nothing but skin and bones. And again no water. We called the owner to ask how to get water to the horses and she quickly responded that her mother was on the way there and she would be getting the horses water. She told us that we were at the wrong place and needed to meet her at this P & Q stable that she was renting. Arriving there we did a quick scan at the numerous horses that were there and even through some had ribs showing they didn't look that bad. Upon meeting us her first question to us when we asked her about the other place was, "You didn't go into the barn did you?" I immediately lied and said no, but asked her how come these horses were in such poor condition. She gave me the rescue story and seemed prefectly convinced she was doing nothing wrong.
When we contacted that state we explained in detail what we saw, how the barn had the "Keep Out" Sign and what the owner had said about being a rescue. As my daughter and I both said, if you are a rescue your horses should be in different stages of recovery and not all looking skinny and shabby. And why have the "keep out" sign with horses obviously hidden away if they had nothing to hide as they now claim.
Do we know where the horses went? I have been hearing rumors that some of them are not placed in much better places - we have many licensed places how come they do not get used?
PLEASE do not sound the victory trumpets yet!! This is not over. The Ingrahams have simply moved their operation back to the farm owned by Alexis's parents in Burnham!!! The animals are on poor, played out pasture unable to sustain the numbers. They have no shelter from the BUGS or HEAT and no water!! These animals are still suffering, just in a less visable area. PLEASE PLEASE do not stop fighting!! Keep the pressure on!!
i drove by a week later and saw 6-7 drafts horses and three saddle horses wayyyy out back. i do have pictures, and i took them from the road. they appeared to be in good health
"trees for shade" is not adequate shelter per the State Humane law. They specifically state that 3 sided shelters are required with dry floors and space enough for EACH animal to lay down in. If there is NO shelter other than trees then it's time to start hollering again guys and make the powers that be in Augusta do their jobs.
You call it what you want. Those State employees should have read their State employee handbooks more carefully. You might be right that those people care about animal rights but you can't really believe that its right to breach confidentiality or slander your employer publicly? Breaching confidentiality is a serious offense with the new laws. Those employees knew it and can't really think there would not be consequences. As people are so quickly to point out -- right is right, wrong is wrong.
More changes? I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the hierarchy changed. And who is Norma accountable to now if not the Commissioner?
Everet also wanted to mention, not all of the people that work for the state that she is going after work in her department or are her employees and therefore are not under the same "rules" about disclosure, maybe you need to read the state handbook.
and personally as for the staff who work at Animal Welfare and have become whistle blowers (which is a legal and protected right) I give huge kudos to her workers who dared to stand up and say something was wrong..what are you saying, keep letting the horses die and keep your mouth shut when you are one of the people who work there and see this happen time and time again??!!?
Nope. I'm just saying there is a right way and a wrong way. State workers were mentioned so I responded -- don't know of others being scrutinized other than the state workers. And...of course every work place has different guidelines. I guess, the point I'm getting at is -- you can be a whistle blower but do it going through the appropriate channels and keep going up. Don't whistle blow slamming your employer on a public forum because no employer in their right mind will let that pass. That's it. You wouldn't! People need to see through the trees here and stop bringing in the emotions. Do the job, stick to your beliefs, go by the guidelines, use the laws to your advantage and keep the personal stuff out of it because if you don't, everyone will take it personally even your employer. Then it won't be about the animal anymore it will be about the human.