[Vision2020] Five horses removed by police from Moscow property

Thu Dec 22 12:10:43 PST 2016

Thanks for posting this, Tom – this is extremely disturbing, and I hope you share the follow-up reporting.  It doesn’t look like she’s been charged with anything yet.

I looked up this person in the Idaho Repository, and it certainly looks we’ve got a problem here with how animal cases are handled . . . or not handled.  Davis’ most recent cruelty case was filed 11/12/2015 and was dismissed – after being scheduled for trial – 6/1/2016.  When you have someone with her sordid history of not caring for animals, you stay on them like white on rice.  It seems that didn’t happen in this situation or else these poor horses wouldn’t have been subjected to these recent additional months (on top of the previous years) of abuse/neglect from dismissal in June until now.  It’s not like she had those horses hidden away, either – I’ve been told everyone driving in that area (presumably including Code Enforcement) could see the neglect/cruelty with their own eyes, including that some of the horses had no shelter whatsoever  :(

This, to me, is evidence of a systemic failure.

Sadly, I can’t say I’m surprised these crimes aren’t taken more seriously in Moscow, in Latah County, or in Idaho.  After all, we just recently had the UI confess to illegally trapping, gassing, and killing over 1200 animals on campus, and that wasn’t even worth a citation.  SMH.  I’m all for teachable moments, but when a sentient being is harmed by illegal human behavior, that teachable moment needs to be accompanied by a meaningful penalty or else we see people like Teresa Davis – and Charles Zillinger – getting away with things over and over and over again that flatly aren’t acceptable in a decent society.

It's encouraging to me to see so many Facebook comments condemning not only Davis’ neglect/cruelty but also the inaction that resulted in unnecessary suffering for those horses.

It is my hope that those “in charge” finally realize that the good people of Moscow are no longer willing to turn a blind eye and remain silent when animals aren’t treated humanely.

Saundra Lund

Moscow, ID

The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak out for themselves.

~ Jane Goodall

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Tom Hansen
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2016 12:22 PM
To: Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Subject: [Vision2020] Five horses removed by police from Moscow property

Courtesy of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News at:

http://dnews.com/five-horses-removed-by-police-from-moscow-property/article_0dd9e58e-c7b3-11e6-9085-e7a6e9af5cd6.html

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Five horses removed by police from Moscow property

Five horses belonging to a Moscow woman were taken into protective custody Tuesday by the Moscow Police Department after a lengthy investigation and a series of Facebook posts about the condition of the animals and their living conditions.

Moscow Police Cpt. Roger Lanier said the department has been investigating the animals’ condition since the latter part of 2015, when Code Enforcement Officer Patty Riedl brought it to his attention.

Photos uploaded to Facebook depict three of the five animals in their shed at Rodeo Drive and Polk Street with no food and near-empty water buckets with inches of gnawed ice in the bottom. The other two horses were unsheltered.

Lanier said the animals have been removed from the location.

“They are in a safe location with people who specialize in the rehabilitation of horses,” he said.

This is not the first time the animals’ owner, Teresa Rai Davis, has had her animals removed, according to the Idaho Repository.

Her case history in Latah County dates back to June of 1999 and includes five charges of animals at-large, three charges of permitting animals to go without care, two charges of cruelty to animals and one charge of failing to provide adequate fencing.

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said the difference between failing to care for animals and cruelty to them is marked by intentional harm.

“Cruelty to animals is like intentionally abusing, inflicting unnecessary suffering or pain, attacking animals,” he said.

Thompson said his office has handled two of those charges against Davis, including an animal neglect case in 1999, originally charged as cruelty to animals, in which Davis pleaded guilty to transporting an animal without having it checked by a vet. She was instructed to pay a $150 fine. The second was an animal cruelty charge in 2008. The conviction carried a fine of $605.

“She pleaded guilty and went on probation and completed a year-and-a-half of probation,” he said.

Of the remainder of the charges, all were dismissed except for one misdemeanor charge of animals at-large for which she was fined $159 and one charge of permitting animals to go without care, which carried a $388 fine.

City Prosecutor Erin Tomlin said the dismissals in the past happened for a variety of reasons, and the previous case she handled that ended in dismissal was “extremely frustrating and disappointing.” Tomlin said she is unable to comment fully on the current investigation.

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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)

 <http://www.moscowcares.com/> http://www.MoscowCares.com

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

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