UPDATED - Louisiana: Retired racehorse named Dr. Drip earned his owners more than a quarter million dollars during his career. Three years after he was retired from racing, he dies after being starved. He was found covered in maggots, a walking skeleton. He was just 13 years old.

LOUISIANA -- There are demands for someone to be held accountable for a horse that went from champion to starved and neglected. This is an animal cruelty case like no other for the St. Landry Parish Animal Control and Rescue.

"It was just sad. He had knots of blow flies this big, worms all over him and when you walk up to him you could smell him. I mean he was rotten. I've been fooling with horses all my life and I'm 70 years old and I've never seen anything like that before. I ain't never seen nothing like before. Never!," says Glenn Lejeune.

Dr. Drip was retired from racing just three years ago, his

last race was in 2014. This is what they've done to him

in just three years since he quit earning them money.

They rescued the horse from a field in Opelousas. It's work they're familiar with. Investigators are now trying to figure out who was responsible for the horse whose condition was beyond saving. He was just 13 years old.

"So he just laid his head down and we had our vet, and the horse vet, both here and they both agreed that to euthanize him was the kinder thing so I signed the papers to put him down," says Stacey McKnight.

Dr. Drip's case is being shared thousands of times online, and across the country. Stacey Mcknight and Glenn Lejeune are now leading the effort to hold someone accountable.

 

"What should happen to them is what happened to those horses is what should happen to them take something and burn that lip and see how that feel. Let them starve to death, you know ain't no sense in that, so the same thing they do to them horse should be done to them and a lot of this would stop," says Lejeune.

According to the online database Equibase, Dr. Drip raced between 2007 and 2014. He won more than $250,000 in purses during those years.

In just one race in February 2010, Dr. Drip earned his owners $24,000 by winning the Magnolia Stakes at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana.

Dr. Drip's last race was in 2014 so in just three short years, he was turned into a walking skeleton.

(KATC - June 22, 2017)

 

 

--- I LOVE THIS MAN!!! ---
Glenn is a no-nonsense, old-school, "tell it like it is" man
He reminds me of Clint Eastwood. He should run for office.

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HUMANE SOCIETY FACEBOOK POST
Jeff Dorson, Director, Humane Society of Louisiana posted on Facebook June 23, 2017 ·

Breaking news from the Humane Society of Louisiana:

Update on the Dr. Drip equine abuse case. Memorial service scheduled for Wednesday, June 28th from 11: 30 - noon at the St. Landry Animal Control Shelter, located at 255 Hanger Rd., Opelousas, Louisiana. The mistreatment of Dr. Drip has generated international concern and interest.

Few animals have endured more suffering or abuse than this wonderful former racetrack champion. However, we intend to use his tragic suffering and death to bring attention to the horrors of animal abuse in our state and create something lasting and powerful.

Thousands of people have reached out to us, asking to help and expressing their sadness and heartache, and we fully intend to harness this collective energy to bring lasting change to our state. We are communicating with several law enforcement agencies to ensure that the person(s) responsible for this crime is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and is brought to justice.

If we experience any problems during this criminal investigation or with our enforcement or judicial systems, we will ask for your collective help in addressing any deficiencies. Over the weekend, we will also create a separate FB page that will act as a clearing house for pertinent information on this case and as a virtual memorial site, so that our thoughts for Dr. Drip can be recorded and saved.

Please join our efforts to make lasting change in Louisiana. We owe Dr. Drip no less. You can continue to support us at www.humanela.org. On behalf of Dr. Drip and all the other victims of abuse, we thank you for caring.

Debbie Mcallister - This just sickens me. If u can't feed them give them up don't make them suffer like this and starve, poor horses. So sad.

Db Roberts - He still had will power, fight, but even his physical body couldn't endure more. Was reported he nickered before laying his head in final rest, knowing he was then in loving hands and can finally rest.

May God bring justice for Dr. Drip and may it come swiftly to ALL responsible!

My heart aches for him and my tears continue to flow. RIP Dr. I'm so very sorry you had to endure all you've been thru, after giving your all to those you trusted.

Debra Stewart From the pics I can't believe that horse was alive. Worst case I've ever saw and the horse was still breathing. So sad

 

Lisa Gill Treuting - Anyone who passed this horse even once and did NOTHING should hang their heads in shame! I've called the rescue for horses who looked much better than this! How could anyone turn their back on this creature?

Cindi Hodnett - Why have we not heard of an arrest made in connection with this? He was on someone's land. Who is that someone???

Sandy Jaco - What kind of a person would let this happen???😡

Jamie Lawson Trahan - His name is Danny Lavergne from lake charles

Joanne Murphy - Both the stable and this Danny are guilty. This idea of "we trusted him" or Danny saying he boarded him somewhere, implying that he couldn't have known.. Even if some other third party committed the abuse, the responsibility for that horse is still theirs.

Mindy Bell - i hope in his last moments he was told he was beautiful and strong and were sorry he was treated like this and hugged and patted and told he was loved untill his final sleep

 

 

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PETITION

Demand Justice for Dr Drip, a Champion Racehorse

St. Landry Parish, Louisiana

We demand the St Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney and Parish President pursue felony aggravated animal cruelty charges against the person or persons responsible for the abuse and torture of champion racehorse, Dr Drip.

This case must be be investigated by detectives from St Landry Parish Sheriff’s Department as well as the St Landry Parish Animal Control.  We also strongly urge the courts to deliver maximum sentencing for felony charges.

Cruelty of this magnitude must be fully investigated, prosecuted and punished.  
On Tuesday June 20, 2017 the St Landry Parish Sheriff’s Department and Animal Control responded to an animal cruelty complaint.  The sheriff’s department took swift action and seized the equine.

 

 

The equine, now known to be Dr Drip, a champion racehorse, was in horrific condition.  Not only had he been starved to death, he was also suffering from burns down his entire back.

As if that was not enough, Dr Drip’s flesh, open wounds and exposed bones were infested with maggots, to the point that witnesses could hear the maggots crunching and feasting on his flesh and bone.  

  

 

Dr Drip's vertebrae was fully exposed in several sections in what appear to be “saddle sores” indicating he had been ridden in this condition.

On the Morning of June 21, 2017 Dr Drip went down and when urged to get up, his rotting flesh slid off his body.  The pain he suffered in the hands of his abusers is unimaginable.  Though he had the will to live, his body could not match his will to live. Dr Drip's shell of a body surrendered that will and he had to be euthanized. 

The persons responsible for this heinous and deliberate act of aggravated animal cruelty must face justice.

Thank You for your attention to this case, we look forward to a full investigation by post-certified law enforcement officials and an arrest under the Louisiana aggravated cruelty to animal statutes and full prosecution followed by maximum sentencing.

This petition will be delivered to St. Landry Parish Officials:

District Attorney Earl Taylor

Parish President Bill H Fontenot

St Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz

Attorney General Jeff Landry

VIDEO NEWS CLIP:

JUNE 28, 2017 UPDATE:

I was going to create a new post but decided to just add to this original one because people may be coming to this one first. Some new developments - some good, some bad. 

The good news first: an arrest has been made in what I call the 'torture death' of Dr. Drip. 

Arrest made in death of champion racehorse

KATC - June 27, 2017

The St. Landry Parish Sheriff's office arrested an 18-year-old for the alleged abuse of a retired race horse.

Dr. Drip was rescued last week from a field in Opelousas after an anonymous tip alerted the St. Landry Parish Animal Control to the neglected horse. The 13-year-old champion race horse had to be euthanized due to his condition.   

Animal Control began their investigation obtaining statements from the parties involved,and the case was found to be a felony criminal act.  The case was then turned over to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Detectives Section, and two investigators were assigned.  

Dr. Drip was a former Louisiana state champion and winner of more than 60 races and purses of more than $253,000. He was discovered by parish authorities near death from abuse and neglect. The St. Landry Animal Control Department received a call of a horse in very poor condition on June 20. 

The horse was lying down, at the time he was discovered, and could not get up.  He was covered with flies, maggots, open sores and was completely emaciated, said Jeff Dorson, Humane Society of Louisiana Director.

The next day, however, Dr. Drip  could not stand up, said the director. The attending veterinarian from Acadiana Veterinary Clinic and a second veterinarian who was on site, discovered that hundreds, possibly thousands of maggots had burrowed under Dr. Drip's skin and flesh and were literally eating him alive, added Dorson.

Someone had also poured battery acid on his withers and across his spine, stated Dorson.  Abscesses covered his his mouth. By this time, his breathing was labored and he was coughing up blood. The decision was made, based on his extensive, debilitated condition, to euthanize  Dr. Drip, said Dorson.

Detectives learned the horse had changed hands many times and began their interviews, according to Major Eddie Thibodeaux, spokesman for the sheriff's office. 

The horse was purchased by the lease owner of the land from another person who was given the horse by the original owner. Detectives were informed that the horse was purchased by the caretaker of the land for Jermaine Doucet Jr. and he did agree to allow Jermaine's horse to be housed on the land.

Doucet was interviewed at the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office on Monday and did not submit an official statement, but he allegedly said that he did in fact own the horse, stated Thibodeaux. He was arrested and charged with felony cruelty to an animal. Bond was set at $5,000.

This is confusing. So Dr. Drip, after he was retired from racing in 2014, was sold by #1 - the original owner. Then he was "given" to owner #2. Then Dr. Drip was sold to owner #3 - the "lease owner of the land". But then they say that the "caretaker" purchased Dr. Drip and let Jermaine Doucet Jr keep it there. Well, why would he let Jermaine keep Dr. Drip there if he (the caretaker) was the owner of Dr. Drip? And then they say Doucet Jr. claims Dr. Drip is his... Really? Or is he taking the fall for it because he's only 18?

"We will conduct criminal investigations on any and all reports of animal abuse we receive from Parish animal control that violates state statutes if there is no scene contamination and evidence destruction," said Sheriff Bobby Guidroz. "The evidence I speak of is the evidence we need to gather among other things, is the evidence the district attorney needs to prosecute the person (s) responsible for the abuse, mistreatment and criminal acts of the animal." 

A memorial service for Dr. Drip will be held at the St. Landry Animal Control Shelter, 255 Hanger Road, Opelousas Wednesday, June 28, 11: 30 a.m. - noon.

OK so there's an arrest. That's good news. Now for the bad news. 

The Facebook group page called Justice for Horses has a lot of links and comments. One of the most disturbing is that it's being said that no necropsy was performed on Dr. Drip and that his poor, battered body was simply taken to a landfill and dumped (or possibly dumped in a hole on the property he died on). 

A necropsy is required for criminal cases involving dead animals. You have to determine what he died from and how long it took for him to get in this condition and how long he suffered. If you don't do this, the defense can make all sorts of claims: that Dr. Drip had cancer and they loved him so much they couldn't bear to put him down. They can claim someone disliked them so they snuck over and poisoned Dr. Drip and it's not their fault. Remember, it's the burden of the state to PROVE that he was neglected and scalded to death. The defense only has to put some doubt into one juror's mind that, "Well yeah the horse suffered but they meant well. They didn't purposely do this to him." All it takes is one juror out of 12 to make a hung jury (mistrial). 

I certainly hope this isn't true (that they didn't get a necropsy). I saw a video on Justice for Horses where officials were somewhat complaining about having limited funds. 

Animals are abused all over the United States, every single day. I can't even keep up with them all on this blog b/c there are so many and often I have to pick and choose which get posted b/c I just don't have time to list them all. Most of these cases get a bit of attention (there are 100,000s more that never get any media attention). DR. DRIP'S CASE GRABBED HEADLINES AND IMMEDIATELY GOT ANIMAL LOVERS ENRAGED AND WANTING JUSTICE. If they'd simply asked for money, they'd have had whatever they needed within a couple hours, I'm sure of it. There are also many large organizations with deep pockets (ALDF, HSUS, ASPCA) that often hand over large sums of money. I mean, they were announcing a memorial for Dr. Drip -- that should have told them how much interest there was in this poor, battered little racehorse. That alone should have told someone with an ounce of compassion that to toss his poor body onto the garbage at the landfill is not acceptable.

😬

 

Some of the Facebook comments: 

You can't ask too many questions because once you do they block you I'm now blocked off their page again for the second time bunch of hypocrites

Oh I forgot the sheriff said and I quote I just arrest them I'm not the one who sentences them these guys don't give two s**** about animals

And what about the 5 teenagers that's stole 3 horses from the auction beat the s*** out of them drug and behind their vehicles and left him in the ditch to die the sheriff didn't do jack s*** in fact they got probation nothing was done to them the guy is full of s***

All I can say is that change happens slowly - even more so in the South. Just as it used to be that law enforcement didn't think a husband could rape his wife or that domestic violence should be prosecuted ("Why don't you just leave him then? What do you want us to do about it?"), animal laws are slowly changing due to the outcry from people who say this is not right, do something!  

I remember in the 1980s when the issue of animal testing in labs first really was exposed. Spraying bug spray in a rabbit's eyes causing torturous pain and blindness just so they can put on the can of Raid "Do not spay in eyes, may cause blindness"??? Dr. Drip's death is not the end... it's just the beginning of change.

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IS THIS HIS DADDY?

Apr 12, 1995

Rape charges were filed on a 17-year-old Opelousas man Monday in connection with the sexual assault of an 11-year-old juvenile. 

Arrested was Jermaine Doucet, 17, of 1167 McCarthy Lane, A-2, Opelousas, charged with aggravated rape. "We received a report on Monday the 10th from the victim's mother, who advised that her 11-year-old daughter had come to her and told her that she had been sexually assaulted by the suspect," said Lt. Ronnie Trahan of the Opelousas Police Department. "Apparently, the young man lives in same apartment complex as the victim and her mother." Trahan said the incident allegedly occurred in January, but the young girl chose to wait until now to come forward. According to the report, on the night of Jan. 22, the suspect knocked on child's window sometime around midnight. "When the child opened the window," Trahan said, "the guy asked where her mother was, and she (the victim) said her mother was in another room. "She said she then left the room and went to restroom," Trahan continued. "When she came back, ;he was in her room and instructed her to remove her clothing." At that point, Trahan said, the suspect allegedly attempted to have sexual intercourse with the victim. "The child started crying and advised the man he was hurting her." The lieutenant said the suspect then reportedly heard a noise and fled through the window. Under Louisiana Law, the act of rape is considered to be of an aggravated nature if the victim is under 12 years of age, the lieutenant added. 

January 7, 2002

Jermaine Doucet, 24, of 1333 Hwy. 749, Opelousas, LA, pled guilty to simple possession of marijuana.  He was ordered to pay $250 or spend thirty days in the parish jail.  Also, he was sentenced to ninety days in the parish jail which was suspended and was placed on two years unsupervised probation.

June 5, 2013

Opelousas Daily Arrest Report

Jermaine Doucet, 35, 923 W. Grolee Street, Opelousas

1)Domestic Abuse Battery 

2)Aggravated Assault 

3)Simple Battery 

4)Two counts of Theft

Pair accused of selling drugs from sno-ball stand

KATC - Dec 22, 2014

The St. Landry Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team (N.E.T.) says 37-year-old Jermaine Doucet and 32-year-old Bryant Fields were selling high grade “Hydro” marijuana out of "T&E Soul Food and Sno-Balls" on S. Bullard Street.  The business was also located within two separate drug-free school zones. 

Jermaine D. Doucet was charged with: Possession of Schedule 1 C.D.S. marijuana; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Transaction Involving Proceeds from Drug Offenses; Violation of a Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substance within a Drug Free Zone. He has been released on an undisclosed bond and is awaiting trial. Additional charges could come. 

Apparently he's still the owner of T&E Soul Food and Sno-Balls

 

June 16, 2015

Name: Jermaine Doucet

Sex: Male

Race: Black

Birthdate: 09-05-1977

Arrest age: 37

Location: Rapides, Louisiana

Charge: Unknown

February 19, 2016

Name: Jermaine Dwayne Doucet

Sex: Male

Race: Black

Birthdate: 09/05/1977

Arrest age: 38

Booked Date

Feb. 19, 2016

Booked By

Ouachita Parish County Sheriff's Office

Charge: 

Probation violation

Texas: Judge rules Caren Brown, director of Thunderfoot Rehab and Rescue, cannot keep neglected animals

TEXAS -- During a hearing Monday, Justice of the Peace Shane Brassell ruled the woman whose animals were seized from a Hill County ranch will not be allowed to keep the animals.

Last week, animal control officers executed a search warrant at an animal rehabilitation ranch run by Caren Brown, following an investigation into malnourished horses.

During the raid, officers seized 60 animals from the property. The majority of the animals were horses, and pictures and video suggest some were severely underweight.

Note: Caren Brown, Stephen Brown and Alexis Bright are listed on CorporationWIKI as the Directors of the group.

According to court records, there were 48 horses seized, along with five donkeys, six dogs and one rabbit. The animals were transported to the Humane Society of North Texas, where four horses have since been euthanized for their deteriorating condition.

"They were in horrible condition," Executive Director Sandy Shelby said. "No animal should have to look like that. They were emaciated and thin. Most have some kind of a hoof or foot or leg injury."

Law enforcement officials said an additional 20 animals were found dead on the property during the search.

The Humane Society has been trying to heal the surviving animals, and the organization's expenses have already reached an estimated $34,810. Monday's court ruling also ordered Brown to pay those expenses. But, County Attorney David Holmes said the state would not collect the money because Brown could not afford it.

"The state will not collect this amount in this action, in the interest of justice," read a handwritten portion of the court order.

Various agencies have been investigating Brown since March. But, Alexis Bright, a close family friend, said Brown took good care of her animals -- blaming the horses being underweight on alleged toxicity problems in the animals' drinking water, adding the horses were receiving veterinary care before they were seized.

"Some of them, yes, they are skin and bones. And, I understand that. That is not right," Bright said. "But, they're not showing the ones that are not skinny, that are fat and healthy. And yeah, maybe they have a leg injury or so, or a bump or a scratch or something, but they're not all skinny."

But, other animal-lovers who knew Brown said she had a history of neglect. One woman who asked not to be identified said she donated a handful of horses to Brown but now regrets her decision.

"I'm heartbroken. I'm so heartbroken," the woman said. "It makes me feel like I did something wrong. I trusted her."

Another woman who agreed to speak publicly was Brown's former neighbor Stacey Carpenter, who shared a fence line with her when Brown housed her horses at another rehab location in Waxahachie.

"Being sent to that rehab would be like a Jew being sent to a Nazi concentration camp," Carpenter said.

Carpenter also told Channel Six the horses were frequently left without water.

The Humane Society of North Texas will now focus on nursing the animals back to health. Once the animals are well, the focus will turn to finding them new homes.

The county attorney said he is still investigating Brown, who may face animal cruelty charges in the near future. But, no charged were filed on Monday.

Concerned animal activists are gathering feed and supplies to donate to the Humane Society on Wednesday. If you would like to donate, you can bring supplies to the La Vega Veterinary Clinic on Tuesday through noon on Wednesday.

Items needed include alfalfa hay, feed, lead ropes and wormers, among other things. The clinic is located at 555 E Loop 340 in Waco.

(KCEN - Nov 21, 2016)

Earlier:

• Texas: 50 malnourished horses seized, 20 others dead at ‘concentration camp’ rescue run by Caren Brown called Thunderfoot Equine Rescue and Rehab Ranch

Texas: 50 malnourished horses seized, 20 others dead at ‘concentration camp’ ranch that billed itself as the Thunderfoot Equine Rescue and Rehab Ranch

TEXAS -- More than 50 malnourished animals, most of them horses, were seized Tuesday from a rescue ranch in North Texas after a complaint about the living conditions for the animals there was made, according to the Hill County Sheriff’s Department.

The sheriff’s department, in coordination with the Humane Society of North Texas, seized 47 horses, five donkeys, six dogs and a rabbit from the Thunderfoot Equine Rescue and Rehab Ranch near Grandview, said HCSD Chief Deputy Rick White in an interview with mySA.com.

Thunderfoot Equine Rehab and Rescue purportedly takes in retired Thoroughbreds and retrains them for equine therapy or adopts them out. The group’s Facebook page is no longer public.

Note: Caren Brown, Stephen Brown and Alexis Bright are listed on CorporationWIKI as the Directors.

The investigators obtained a seizure warrant for those animals after receiving a complaint about the living conditions for the animals. What they found caused them to be immediately concerned, White said.

“These animals depend on humans,” White said. “There was no running water, there was no food, no hay.”

Sandy Shelby, executive director of the Humane Society of North Texas, said in an interview with a CBS TV station that the animals were not in a good place.
“It was a concentration camp,” Shelby told the TV station. “When you create starvation and suffering, that’s pretty much an equal comparison.”

The investigators also found about 20 graves for dead horses, with some graves only partially buried with bones extending out from the dirt, White said.

The horses’ untreated injuries included a broken jaw and a maggot infested laceration down to the bone.

A hearing will be held at 3 p.m. Monday to determine if the seizure warrants will stay in place, White said.

 The woman who ran the ranch has not been charged with anything yet, but she does face potential charges of animal cruelty. Animal cruelty, while generally a Class A misdemeanor, can be upgraded to a state jail felony depending on the extent of injury or abuse to each animal.

In this case, the woman faces possible felony charges for each animal in the case, with about 70 possible cases of animal cruelty, White said.

The chief deputy said the horses have since been transferred under the care of the humane society to various veterinarians and care facilities, with most at a location in Joshua, which is about 22 miles northwest of Grandview.

Many of the horses are struggling to recover. One of the 47 horses seized died Wednesday, White said.

“It’s a slow process,” White said. “You can’t let them gorge on the food.”

(MySanAntonio - November 18, 2016)

New York: Arrest warrant issued for Sodus woman, Cindy Denninger, 53, in abused horses case

NEW YORK -- A Sodus woman is being charged with 15 counts of animal cruelty after investigators seized 16 horses, cows and at least 17 birds from her property in Wayne County.

WHAM in Rochester reports that an arrest warrant has been issued for Cindy Denninger, 53, who owned the animals.

Some of the animals had injuries such as serious puncture wounds and one horse couldn't even walk due to a potential broken leg. Starving animals were even eating wood off the sides of the barns to stay alive. Two dead horses were found on the property.

Retired race horses from the Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack in Farmington were among the animals seized.

Authorities said Denninger works at the track or worked there, but is out on workers’ compensation. The Wayne County District Attorney says it appears that Denninger has fled the state and is now in West Virginia.

It is unclear if all of the horses will survive.

Neighbors say they complained many, many times. One of Denninger’s neighbors wrote (WHAM): “I am her neighbor and YES everyone complained every year for years to do something for these poor animals… They came and did NOTHING!!!”

 

And a former neighbor: “I used to live right around the corner 10 years ago. The cops were called quite often way back then about the condition of the animals she had. It was horrible then.”

(CNY Central - April 22, 2014)

Update (April 27, 2014)
Cindy Denninger, 53, of North Centenary Road, was charged by Wayne County Sheriff’s Office investigators with 15 counts of animal cruelty (overdriving, torturing and injuring animals). She was arraigned in Arcadia Town Court and taken to the county jail on $2,000 bail or $4,000 bond.