August 09, 2009, 12:52PM MT
The Humane Society of the United States is adding a reward of $2,500 to an existing $10,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for poisoning 23 horses at a Rancho Santa Fe, CA stable on Thursday, July 30th.
The horses were fed poisonous oleander leaves mixed with apples and carrots to mask the bitterness of the leaves. The crime occured sometime early Thursday morning, and the sick horses were discovered by the farm help around 6 a.m. Veterinarians treated 23 horses, including two pregnant mares, at the ranch. The three most seriously affected horses were taken to San Luis Rey Equine Hospital in Bonsall, where they were held for observation and testing. Oleander is highly toxic and can lead to cardiac damage or arrest- just a few leaves can be fatal. A mixture of mineral oil and charcoal was given to the horses to absorb and push the toxins out of their systems. They were watched for 72 hours and then tested to see if the deadly toxin caused any heart damage.
Rockridge Farm is a 10 acre ranch that breeds and trains about 30 American Saddlebred show horses valued at about $2 million. Bill and Debbie Tomin have owned and operated the ranch for 30 years, and many of the horses belong to other owners. For an MSNBC videotaped interview, visit AOL News.
As reported by the San Diego Tribune, five of the horses are world champions, with two scheduled to compete in the World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville, Ky., in about three weeks.
Although competition can be fierce, Tomin does not believe anyone in the tight knit world of show horses would stoop to poisoning.
Although competition can be fierce, Tomin does not believe anyone in the tight knit world of show horses would stoop to poisoning. Debbie Tomin said she and her husband get along well with their neighbors, and they do not suspect any of their employees. She said they think someone climbed over a large gate between 2 and 3 a.m. Thursday and planted the mixture so quietly that no one, including the workers who live near the barn, was awakened. “If we didn’t act quickly, the horses would have died one by one,” she told the Tribune.
Nobody heard or saw anything suspicious, and no fingerprints or clues were found at the scene. Local officials are stumped. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is investigating, and is asking anyone with information about the case to call Crimestoppers at (888) 580-TIPS or email rsfsickhorses@gmail.com.
Photo of oleander courtesy of CNN affiliate KFMB, horse photos courtesy of Roni Raczkowski
Tags: abc, BLM, bravo, CBS, CNN, ellen, fox, fox news, I-team, Jane Velez Mitchell, KLAS, madeleine pickens, msnbc, nbc, oprah, pony express, Rancho santa Fe
