Those who run the agency say it's one of the worst cases of animal neglect they've ever seen. But the Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne and New York State Police Captain Brent Gillam refuse to charge owner with Animal Cruelty
State police said they've dropped their criminal investigation into the emaciated horse.
It's the same horse whose condition has been causing public outcry both in the community and on Facebook.
“So these are the withers. She had several sores there. That are healing pretty well,” Natalia DeValinger said.
DeValinger said it hurt just to look at Dreamer when she first came to the Adirondack Equine Center and Horse Rescue in Saranac Lake.
“As far as owner lack of responsibility, this is the worst case we've seen so far locally,” DeValinger said.
DeValinger adopted the horse after the owner surrendered her.
Dreamer came to the farm 300 to 400 pounds underweight and with several other injuries, including multiple sores, an infected eye and swollen knee.
Dreamer's been at the property for less than two weeks and she's been eating pretty much nonstop since she's gotten here. She's gained between 50 and 100 pounds already, but she's got a long way to go.
“She's in much better spirits than when we first got her,” DeValinger said.
But DeValinger says Dreamer should have never gotten to this point.
State police had been in contact with Dreamer's owner more than half a dozen times over the last month but never pressed any charges and didn't remove the animal.
This is what Captain Brent Gillam said Aug. 28, the day Dreamer's owner surrendered her to the rescue.
"The owner has spent quite a bit of money on these horses taking them to her farm in Franklin County. She's spent money on veterinary fees. She spent a lot of money on feed and grain to care for these horses,” Gillam said.
The owner told Gillam CLAIMED she bought Dreamer in a deteriorated condition, but Gillam said the previous owners were not under investigation, either.
When we questioned how no one could be facing charges for horses severely deteriorated condition, he said he'd never seen a picture of Dreamer, so we showed him one.
“I can't say it's criminal but something happened to that horse with it not getting the food and water it needed, clearly,” Gillam said.
Still DeValinger believes Dreamer suffered for weeks unnecessarily and said state police should have forced the owner to surrender her.
“It never gets easier every time we see animals like that. A lot of people say that you get used to it when you see enough cases like this and every time we see it. It hurts us,” DeValinger said.
Newschannel 5 did talk with Gillam again Tuesday; he wasn't available for an on camera interview but did tell us he stands by his previous statements.
Newschannel 5 also called the Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne to find out why he decided not to pursue charges against Dreamer's owner.
As of news time, we never heard back.
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