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Horse rescuer charged
Section: THE REGION
Page: B2
Author: Sara Leaming
Staff writer
Illustration: Photo
Caption: Sarah Schak, left, owner of Sleepy Hollow Horse rescue, is shown
with Obi, a miniature horse, on Nov. 24. Schak was charged with two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty Jan. 15. Photo by
Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review
Infobox: Sara Leaming can be reached at (509) 459-5442 or by e-mail at sarale@spokesman.com.
Sleepy Hollow Horse Rescue,
a southeast Spokane farm for unwanted horses, just got an unwelcome wake-up call.
Sarah Schak, owner of the nonprofit horse rescue operation, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty
Jan. 15.
Spokane County Animal Control authorities say Schak failed to provide necessary medical attention for a 3-year-old
miniature horse named Obi, and failed to provide adequate food for a 2-year-old quarter horse cross named Rose.
Schak, who has been in business just over a year, feels the charges are unjust.
``I didn't do this to these horses, they came to me this way,'' Schak said Wednesday.
But Nancy Hill, director of Spokane County Animal Control, said Animal Control cited Schak because additional information
revealed that the horses' health declined while they were in the care of Sleepy Hollow.
Sleepy Hollow rescues ``unwanted, injured, neglected and slaughter-bound horses,'' Schak said, adding the majority
of the horses boarded at her 5-acre farm are in bad shape to begin with.
``The real crime is the people that abused the horses in the first place,'' Schak said. ``They didn't get in any trouble.
But we take them in and try to help, and we get in trouble.''
Animal Control officers contacted Schak after a complaint by an unknown party was filed about the condition of Sleepy
Hollow's horses.
Officers evaluated all 26 of the horses, finding many of them were too skinny, according to the American Humane Association's
Henneke scale.
The scale rates horses from 9 - obese - to 1 - morbidly thin.
Horses at a 5 or 6 rating are said to be within normal range, authorities said. Schak had horses that ranged from 4
to 1.
``I don't think harm was the intent,'' Hill said. ``But they have a significant amount of animals that rate very low
to an alarming degree.''
Several other animals were in poor enough condition to warrant additional citations, with possible warrants for their
removal, Hill said.
``I think they really wanted to help, but they just got in a little over their heads,'' Hill said.
Sleepy Hollow runs purely on donations. The proceeds made from the horses adopted to new homes go toward feed and veterinarian
services, Schak said.
The farm struggles financially and is always in need of volunteers to care for the horses.
The farm also got a batch of bad hay this month, which may have led to slight weight decline, Schak said.
Animal Control officers interviewed Sleepy Hollow's primary veterinarian, who said she advised that one of the animals
- Obi - be put to death because he was in so much pain from a leg injury.
Sleepy Hollow opted against euthanasia, based on second and third opinions. Obi has since been adopted.
The veterinarian, Katherine Burnett, would not comment on her recommendation to Animal Control, but praised Schak's
efforts.
``People think about the Humane Society, and dogs and cats and what a problem there is,'' Burnett said. ``And that
problem is becoming more and more visible with horses.''
With backyard breeders disposing of thousands of horses every year, the problem is growing, Burnett said.
``People like Sarah are trying to solve that problem,'' Burnett said.
Schak just needs more help, Hill said.
``We work with rescue groups all the time, and we understand that when someone gets an animal in poor condition, it's
not going to be better the next day,'' Hill said. ``Our concern is that these animals declined during their care.''
Hill said Animal Control will continue to make weekly visits to Sleepy Hollow, and continue to advise Schak and her
volunteers on how to care for the horses. So far, all recommendations made to Schak have been followed, Hill said.
``We want people to be successful with animals,'' Hill said. ``There's certainly a need for people to help, it's just
needs to be done in the proper manner.''
Schak said her group will continue to work closely with Animal Control, but will fight the animal cruelty charges.
She plans to hire a lawyer.
``I'd never plead guilty to this,'' Schak said. ``I didn't do anything wrong.''
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