Superior Court Judge Scott Sparks did not issue a warrant for Deborah and James Kingcade, but said if the couple failed to appear in court on Jan. 20 he would.
Deputy Prosecutor Erika George expressed concern and said, “It feels like their appearance is becoming less regular.”
The Kingcades face two counts of first-degree animal cruelty and 12 counts of second-degree animal cruelty after the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office seized 14 horses from their residence in May. The horses were malnourished and in poor health.
The seized horses were initially taken to a barn at the Kittitas Valley Event Center at the fairgrounds where volunteers helped care for them. They all made a full recovery.
Earlier:
- Washington: Fourteen starving horses seized from rescue "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project" run by Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade
- Washington: Fourteen horses, allegedly abused at rescue called "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project" by Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade, make full recovery; being adopted
- Washington: After they don't show up for court to answer for animal cruelty charges, arrest warrants issued for Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade who were running a horse rescue called "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project"
- Washington: Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade, who were running a rescue called "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project", have their animal cruelty arrest warrants quashed after they appear in court
- Washington: Local group receives $5,000 grant for horse rescue efforts in case against Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade who were running a rescue called "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project"
This is the dark side of criminal cruelty prosecution. Groups are receiving 'bounty' money to go after folks with animals in marginal, but not poor condition.
ReplyDeleteIn the two set of photos, one shows a shaggy winter coated horse in nearly the same condition as the second photo of the same animal. We don't get an age on either horse, so this may just be 'old age frailty' setting in.
The second horse is at what would be a passable weight for a racing thoroughbred. The second photo of the same horse shows a big belly, either grass or grain fat. This horse has not gained weight over it's whole body, indicating it has a metabolism issue.
Problem is, the public and a lot of vet are used to overweight 'pasture pets' and show horses (show horsed are kept slightly to severely overweight because, as they say "Fat covers a lot of (conformational) sins")
Here's a lovely picture of an endurance horse for comparison. https://perseveranceendurancehorses.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/695.jpg
OMG. Look how skinny it is! How cruel! Better arrest that rider at once! (SARCASM)
If the folks charged in this piece were leaving their animals without food or water for long stretches, or have done other misdeeds, I don't know, but from the photos above, they are being wrongly prosecuted.