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Discussion on Rescue Needed by 6/15/09
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Message |
Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 - 8:59 am:
Cindy O. and Kathleen, you are usually so good at posting about horses that need to be rescued. You may have received this e-mail and photos from Shirley Puga this a.m. I am cutting and pasting her e-mail here. She sent photos of the horses in the e-mail, but I can't post them all here. If any of you members want to see the photos, please contact me privately and I'll forward the e-mail and photos to you.
Thank you,
Holly
*****************************
Dear Friends,
The following horses are at a feedlot in NV, and will be heading to a Canadian slaughter house, if not rescued by Monday, 6/15/09.
Black & white paint colt, 1yr $ 130
Sorrel filly, 1yr $ 150
Black & white paint colt, 2yr $ 160
Palomino colt, 1 ½ yrs $ 170
Sorrel arab cross gelding, 15yrs $ 200
Appy mare, 4-5 yrs, w/foal $ 350
Preg paint mare, 8-10yrs $ 425
Paint mare, 4yrs $ 450
Preg bay mare, 6yrs $ 465
White TB mare, 12 yrs, w/ foal $ 470
Preg dapple gray TB cross mare, 9yrs $ 505
White draft cross mare, 12-14yr, w/foal $ 530
Bay TB gelding, 5 yrs $ 600
Bay TB gelding, 8yrs $ 600
Roan gelding, 4yrs $ 600
Sorrel mare w/blaze face, 4yrs $ 600
Total for Horses $6,405
*Transport costs - TBD
We are working diligently to save them, but need your help. Funds are required to buy them from the feedlot, and transport them to safety. To help, please go to www.paypal.com and send funds to equineangel22@yahoo.com.
The deadline to save them is Monday, 6/15/09
The horses & I thank you for your support!
Shirley Puga
P.S. Together we have saved over 600 equine lives since 4/06. Please help us save these too.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead
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Member:
vickija
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 - 9:39 am:
I wish I had the money to take these babies in but I don't. I have forwarded the email on to every horse person I know. Now it's time to pray.
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New Member:
babydoll
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 - 10:04 am:
Where are the horses, and if you get enough money through paypal, will they be taken somewhere to keep for adoption? Are they PMU horses? I previously adopted 2 PMU horses.
Is it possible to ship one or two of them to Florida? Do you have any pictures or know anything about them?
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 - 11:16 am:
Mary, if you e-mail me, I can send the photos to you. Shirley Puga is heading up the rescue, and you can contact her at the following e-mail address: shirley@alphavision-consulting.com
Sorry. I should have put her e-mail address in the first time. Didn't realize it wasn't part of the "cut and paste."
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Member:
jowidner
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 - 11:46 pm:
Hi Holly,
I have sent this information out through our local horse network. Keeping fingers crossed that help will arrive in time.
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Member:
zarr
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 1:32 am:
Good job Holly! These are very nice horses and with little ones at their sides they need help bad! I'm terrible at anything beyond basic computer but when my husband gets home perhaps he can help. Good luck everyone esp these mares and foals!
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 10:48 am:
O.K. I talked with Lonnie and have emailed Shirley regarding taking a couple of these horses. I'll let you know if I hear back and what she says. How do you pick and choose? I just told her to do that and said we could handle a mare and foal.
Denny....where are you?? I may need your help!
Actually, we now have our farrier helping us out with haying etc. and he and his wife have always talked about starting a horse rescue. His father-in-law was a trainer in California and I've heard is good at starting colts. Maybe it is "meant to be."
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Member:
jjrichar
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 11:19 am:
Below are pics of the horses listed above. Keep in mind, you don't have to necessarily purchase one of these horses, you can just make a donation to the paypal account listed above to help in the efforts to save these guys. Any amount will help. They will then adopt them out to homes.
1yo Paint colt
1yo sorrel filly
2yo B&W paint colt
1.5 yo Palomino colt
15 yo Sorrel Arab cross gelding
4-5yo App mare & foal
8-10 yo pregnant paint mare
4 yo paint mare
6yo pregnant bay mare
12 yr old white TB mare & foal
9yo pregnant dapple gray TB cross mare
12-14yo white draft cross mare & foal
5yo bay TB gelding
8yo bay TB gelding
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Member:
zarr
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 11:30 am:
Jennifer thank you, my husband had just sat down ready to post and there they are!
Sara, wish I could join you in picking but a hard choice for sure! 6yr old bay pg mare! 
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Member:
jjrichar
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 11:36 am:
Remember everyone... donations of any amount can help!
Oh Cindy, I hope he didn't spend a lot of time before you saw my post.
I don't know how to pick... I wish I could take the white TB mare and baby, the dapple gray or the draft mare and baby. I just can't though. So many nice ones - you can tell these aren't just abandoned or wild horses... these guys have been handled and for the most part, cared for. Just so sad. I spent a lot of yesterday on the brink of tears thinking about them.
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Member:
dres
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 11:53 am:
Hey Sara! a nice TB would cross well with one of your boys?
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
tamarag
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 11:56 am:
I hope you have better luck contacting them than I have. I have a friend that has a beautiful farm here. She said she would take 2 and I said I would take 2. Contacted the lady so we could start the drive down with our trailer, and have not heard a word from them 
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 1:49 pm:
Tami, have you been writing to Shirley at her alphavision-consulting.com address? I got another e-mail from her this morning. Just wondering if she didn't get your e-mails.
I don't have a phone# for her.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 2:28 pm:
Holly, I emailed her at the alpjavision-consulting addy. Do you have another for her?
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 2:32 pm:
I just forwarded my email to the equineangel addy also. will see what happens. Hope I get an answer soon!
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 3:24 pm:
I just rec'd. an answer from Shirly from the vision - address. She says many of the horses have been placed, but more homes are needed.
"Hi Sara,
Thank you for wanting to help!
I’m sending your inquiry to my rescue colleague Marlene, who is handling placement of the horses. She has tentative placement for a number of the horses, so she’ll have to let you know which ones still need homes.
Your facility sounds lovely, and we so appreciate your desire to help.
Shirley"
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Member:
sooke
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 11:43 pm:
Which feedlot are these horses at? I'm asking this because there's a young girl I know of that's just absolutely beside herself trying to retrieve a horse that was sold at auction here recently. She has managed to actually track down the last person in the "chain" before the plant the horse was headed to but was given the impression that nothing could be done now. If you can buy back horses from the feedlot then she might still have a chance. Is it the Beauvry plant in Ft. Macleod? She has somehow managed to come up with the funds to buy the horse back from the situation if in fact it's possible to do so; the poor girl's devastated.
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Friday, Jun 12, 2009 - 11:50 pm:
Kim, e-mail to Shirley Puga right away. The e-mail address is: shirley@alphavision-consulting.com
The sale is on the 15th.
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Member:
sooke
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Posted on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 - 1:19 am:
Thanks, Holly Wood; and I have just done so. I don't mean to hijack the thread; but I ( and I'm sure most people) didn't realize that buying horses out of the feedlot was possible these days.
This girl wasn't even aware that this old thoroughbred named "Spencer" was destined for the auction but even though she was just leasing him; she is going through a horrible feeling of failure for not being able to get him back from his fate. But maybe it's not too late...
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Member:
jjrichar
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Posted on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 - 9:52 am:
Kim, so sorry to hear about your friend and her horse, Spencer. I am sure Shirley can direct you to the right places to look for him. I can't imagine how bad she must feel. *hugs and prayers for her and Spencer*
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Member:
ekaufman
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Posted on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 - 12:35 pm:
It is also possible to buy these horses directly at auction. I live just up the road from one of the notorious ones-- Centennial. It's notorious only because horses do sell to the kill buyer there, not because it's a dirty or bad place. The horse auctions are Wednesday, and I would be glad to collect anything anyone purchases there, and hold it for a few days while you negotiate transport etc.. I will admit I steer clear of that neighborhood on Weds. mornings-- breaks my heart to see the old retainers DrOpped off there with no hope of anything but misery for $0.44/lb.
BTW, it's a reasonable bet that if bidding goes over $0.44/lb, the bidder isn't the KB, though at Centennial everyone knows who he is anyhow. Of course, in this market many horses go to slaughter and to new homes for much less.
Centennial is at https://www.claauction.com/ and they accept Internet bidding. Not all horses that go to slaughter get an Internet campaign....
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Member:
zarr
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Posted on Saturday, Jun 13, 2009 - 12:48 pm:
Kim I wish your young friend all the luck in finding her horse.Please know that she may find him and be told its too late but not always so Don't take no just negotiate for all she's worth.I know some that were tagged and half way on the truck and lived!
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 9:53 am:
Has anyone gotten anything SOLID from Shirley or her friend, Michelle?
I ask because there has been a question about the authenticity of this "rescue" by someone on another site. He says he has a friend who runs an auction in Fallon, and as far as he knows, the horses don't go to kill buyers.
Several of you have corresponded with Shirley. Have you received anything SOLID from her or her friend, Michelle, who is supposed to be the manager of the rescue organization?
I will be totally ashamed and upset if this is not "on the level."
Thank you.
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Member:
tamarag
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 11:10 am:
I never received an email from the lady. So I just gave up. I didn't want to say anything. I thought maybe it was because they didn't know me. But a friend and I were willing to take 4 and head down on Friday with the trailer to get them.
Same thing happened here with a rescue. 75 horses and it was a joke. Now many of them are on Craig's list weeks after getting them. These guys were free, but now they are charging anywhere from $100 to at least $500 I have seen.
There is NO way to get a horse in that terrible of a shape and get it ready to sell in a few weeks. I thought most give you a time period that you can't sell them. I honestly am glad I didn't get any from the ones here. Sad thing is I sent them money early on. So I held off sending on this one....maybe good thing????
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 11:19 am:
Tami,
I hope it isn't a scam, but does anyone know how to find out? Did anyone get a message from Michelle, the rescue organization owner?
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 11:26 am:
I have e-mailed to Shirley asking for valid proof and asked the name of the rescue run by her friend, Marlene (not Michelle) and hope to hear.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 11:34 am:
The email I posted above is the only thing I've received. I was thinking I'd try and spend some time today trying to find out more info. You'd think if they really wanted to place horses you'd hear something back.
About a month ago there was another post which it seems were these same horses. There was an article in the Reno Gazette-Journal about them. It was in a blog posted by one of the writers. I don't recall the names of the people running the rescue, but I don't THINK it was Shirley and Marlene. I'm going to try and find the article. Also, it seemed like the horses had to be placed by a date already passed, but again, my memory isn't the greatest and I'm not sure.
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Member:
tamarag
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 11:41 am:
Take a hard look at the pictures. It looks to me like the horses aren't in the same places...maybe not even in the same state. One picture has a lot of trees, the other bare land. One has a house in it????
Just my opinion.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 11:49 am:
I found the below info on Shirley. Also, it looks like she's a real estate broker in San Diego, CA area.
https://www.change.org/profile/view/191338
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 12:04 pm:
Just as a matter of interest, while searching I came across this site which looks very intersting but I haven't had time to really delve into it yet.
https://www.fund4horses.org/index.php
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 12:12 pm:
Tami, I've been to the feedlot in Fallon and the one in Dayton. This could be either. They are both by the rail tracks in high desert valley with olive and cotton woods along one side.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 12:16 pm:
I also found an article from 5/29/09 saying the prison in Carson City will be auctioning off 16 saddle trained BLM horses. I haven't been able to find the article I once read about horses currently being held by the BLM.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 12:21 pm:
One more site that mentions Shirly Puga. I've got to get off the computer and do something today! I feel confident this isn't a scam, but don't know how old the original email is. I'll just wait until I hear from someone I guess. Meanwhile, I see there are lots of rescues that can use some help if anyone wants to donate.
https://www.thegoldencarrot.org/Surely.html
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 2:13 pm:
This just received:
Hi Sara,
We do have pending adoptions for a number of them.
I’ve been actively fundraising to save them. We need just under $1,000 to save them all. Funds are the most pressing need. If we can raise the funds to procure them, we have a little time to finalize placement & transport.
Marlene’s daughter got married yesterday. I’m sure she will attempt to follow up on all the email inquiries today.
Thank you for wanting to help. We sincerely appreciate it!
Shirley
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 2:49 pm:
An article on Shirley, taken from Animal Magazine of San Diego:
"Ring! Ring! I grab the
phone. There are more
horses in peril… This
time a mare and 4 onemonth
old foals are at risk. Only one
foal is hers. The other three were
orphaned when their mothers were
shipped to a horse slaughtering facility
in Canada. The young mare takes
the orphans under her wing, and
allows all four to nurse and
bond with her. She protects
them, as they await
their uncertain
fate…
I
wish this
sad, sweet story
were an isolated
incident, but unfortunately
it is not. Every year
100,000 of our beloved horses are
slaughtered to satisfy diners in
Belgium, France, and Japan.
Since April 2006, I have facilitated
the rescue of over 500
slaughter-bound horses. These horses
were not old, sick, lame, insane or
dangerous. In fact, there were pregnant
mares, orphan foals, weanlings,
yearlings, teenage ranch horses, riding
school/camp horses, wild horses,
race horses and draft horses. There
were even a few donkeys, mules and
ponies. A wide variety of shapes
sizes, and colors, all with plenty of
life to live. Yet, they were all on their
way to a slaughter house.
Once pulled
from the slaughter
pipeline,
these horses
were given a
second chance,
and placed in
rescues
throughout the West. There they
were quarantined and later evaluated
for health, soundness, temperament
and training. When they were ready,
they were matched with suitable
adopters and placed in new homes.
Approximately 10%, or 50, of the
rescued horses were pregnant at the
time of their rescue. They were carefully
fed and nurtured, and later gave
birth to healthy foals.
So, why does the horse slaughter
industry exist?
Some say we need horse slaughter
plants to dispose of old, sick, or
injured animals. That is not, however,
the type horses that are being sold
for their meat. The 500+ horses I’ve
rescued are a cross-section of the
population that is going to slaughter.
They are primarily young, healthy,
vibrant animals.
Americans do not eat horsemeat, nor
is it used in our pet food. We do not
raise horses as food animals. In fact,
horses routinely have drugs in their
systems that are prohibited in food animals,
drugs that are known toxins and
carcinogens such as steroids, bute,
wormers, fly sprays, etc.
Horse slaughter is a lucrative business,
that until recently, has been
America’s “dirty little secret.” Kill
buyers obtain horses at auction, often
outbidding people that would provide
homes. They also scan the “free
to good home” ads and assure folks
that their horse will go to a nice family,
riding facility, etc. Horses are
By Shirley Puga
HORSE
Inside the
Animal Magazine of San Diego
Winter 2009 PAGE 19
accumulated on feedlots and then
crammed into double deck trailers
(designed for cattle) to make a long
trip, often 24-36 hours without food
or water, to a slaughter plant. The
slaughter process was also designed
for cattle, and is highly inappropriate
and inhumane for horses, which are
more sensitive, flightier animals.
Horse slaughter houses are owned
and operated by foreign companies
and the meat is shipped overseas for
human consumption. Other than providing
a handful of jobs, there is no
benefit to having these slaughter
facilities on U.S. soil. Until 2007,
there were three plants in the United
States, one in Illinois and two in
Texax that collectively slaughtered
100,000 horses a year. Now that they
have been closed by state laws, our
horses are trucked to Canada and
Mexico to be processed for their
meat. Only Federal legislation will
end the slaughter, and transport to
slaughter, of American horses.
Many dedicated individuals and
organizations have worked diligently
for the last 7 years to pass legislation
to bring this practice to an end. Since
January 2008, The American Horse
Slaughter Prevention Act has languished
in the House (H.R. 503) and
Senate (S.311). Previously, similar
legislation passed by a large margin
in the House, but was stalled, and
eventually died, in the Senate.
Fortunately, promising new legislation
has been presented. H.R. 6598,
The Conyers-Burton Prevention of
Equine Cruelty Act of 2008, which
will hopefully bring horse slaughter
to an end. Please ask your legislators
to support it. To contact your legislators,
call the Capitol Switchboard at:
202-224-3121.
To find out more about horse
slaughter, please visit the following
web sites:
www.AmericansAgainstHorseSlaugh
ter.com
www.VetsForEquineWelfare.org
www.hsus.org
BACK TO OUR RESCUE
STORY…
The funds were raised to procure
the mare and 4 foals from the kill
buyer, and they were transported to
a very special horse rescue.
Pregnant Mare Rescue in Aptos,
California took in the entire “family”
unit. The foals will be on milk
replacer, and the young mare (who
is a bit thin), will be on supplements
to boost her nutritionally and
also to help her maintain and add
weight. The costs to support this
little group will be a substantial
drain on this small, non profit rescue.
To help them with on-going
expenses, or to donate much needed
supplies such as foal halters, milk
replacer, hay, grain, etc. or go to
www.PregnantMareRescue.com.
Be sure to watch their website for
updates on the mare and foals!
About the author - Shirley Puga is a
California native. She graduated
from SDSU with degrees in Finance
& Accounting. For a number of years
she worked in development/construction
arena on high profile projects
like The Four Seasons Resort -
Aviara, The Hotel del Coronado, and
the Barona Valley Ranch Resort &
Casino. When she is not campaigning
or rescuing, she runs a small real
estate investment company. She currently
lives in Encinitas with her three
dogs - Baja, Cabo and Ranger. To
learn more about her rescue efforts or
how you can help please email her at
EquineAngel122@yahoo.com
RESCUER"
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 2:58 pm:
her email:
Sara,
Attached is an article about my rescue work (I can’t remember if I sent it previously)
We are working to adopt as many as possible, with adopters paying the pull fee. However, we need to raise pull fees for any that are not adopted, in order to save them. They will be sent to rescue organizations.
At the moment, we still need $921 to save the last 6 horses before the end of the day Monday. Any adopters that come through before then, will help decrease the funds needed.
With Marlene tied up in wedding details, it’s been a bit more challenging than usual J
Shirley
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 5:04 pm:
Hi, all,
Just got home and received a similar e-mail that was sent earlier in the day in answer to my inquiry about the validity of Shirley, her friend, Marlene, and the rescue itself.
Here is the e-mail:
Holly,
I’m very sorry about the delays in getting back to potential adopters.
I’ve been working around the clock to raise funds to save these horses’ lives. We still need $921 by the end of the day Monday.
My colleague Marlene, who helps with placements, has been very tied up with her daughter’s wedding (which was yesterday). I’m sure she will start contacting folks today.
If you’d like to see a bit about Marlene’s rescue, her website is: https://www.valleyviewranchequinerescue.webs.com/
I’ve also attached an article about my rescue work.
We very much appreciate your interest in helping.
Shirley
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Member:
jowidner
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 5:06 pm:
Sara, Thank you for following up on this. It sounds legit and I hope that it is (especially since I circulated this to a whole bunch of people  ) but there is a lot of fraud out there. I'm not sure if it has entered the animal rescue realm or not.
There have been a couple of email scams circulated through the Alexander Technique community, which is a pretty small world. Both of these sounded legit, but once you began communicating with the people they would request that you take their payment in advance of starting lessons, with the catch being that they would send you too much and ask you to send them the difference.
Of course their money order that they sent was fake, and your money that you sent them to make up the difference would be long gone by the time the money order was discovered to be worthless.
One of these scams involved impersonating a well-know individual. The email address was supposedly to him but actually the email was going to the scam artists. So when people first checked out the enquiry they thought that it was real, but it was just part of the ruse. He had no idea that scammers were using his identity to set up an on-line theft.
Does anyone know how to check out rescues to make sure that they truly are legit? And also some typical ploys that are used in fraud? Perhaps this should evolve into another thread?
If these horses are truly in need then it would be a shame if they didn't get help because of fear of scams. On the other hand, it would be a shame to lose scare funds intended for horse rescue to line some con artist's pocket. 
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 5:08 pm:
P.S. Sara, thanks for posting the article. I am using an old lap top at the moment, and I can't open things and post them. The Thunderstorms knocked out the modem on my other computer, I think.
Thanks, again.
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Member:
jowidner
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 5:16 pm:
So I guess what I'm trying to say is: Do we really know if we are communicating with Shirley Puga or someone posing as her? How do we find out if the paypal address is legit?
I really am a pretty trusting person, but having been the victim of a heartbreaking adoption scam I've become a lot more questioning of explanations involving requests for money that I previously would have accepted at face value.
Isn't Melissa in police work? I don't remember how to find her on the site.
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 5:32 pm:
Yes, Jo Ann, there has been quite a bit of fraud in the rescue industry. When I had previously received an e-mail from Shirley about a different set of horses, I was cautious and tried to check out her references at that time . . . and felt suitably reassured to circulate this last e-mail. When another friend mentioned that he didn't think the auction house in Fallon was selling horses for meat, then I got scared and thought that maybe I had missed something in my first checking about Shirley. I am sure that there is much more research that can be done to check out both Shirley and Marlene and the rescue.
The most recent and horrifying rescue/fraud was that discovered at 3-Strikes Ranch in Nebraska (the info is on another thread). I hope that this is, indeed, a valid operation of mercy and not a scam.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 5:52 pm:
I feel as confident as possible, without driving out and seeing the place myself, that this is real. I've read several articles and looked at several web-sites that are connected to Shirley. I'm sure there is always a slight possibility that this is someone posing as Shirley Puga, but there certainly is a woman by that name who has done a lot of work with equine rescue and adoption. I'll go to paypal. I'm sure there must be some screening done by that site.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 6:17 pm:
For what it's worth, I looked at pictures from other posts made by Shirley to see if the horses, numbers etc. changed. The most recent group was in May. The colors, ages, sexes and pictures in each group have been different.
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 6:39 pm:
Just received this message from Shirley. The horse she is asking about is the one that Kim's young friend is trying to locate. Kim, please e-mail Shirley, again about this with more descriptions of the TB.
*********************************************
Holly,
Here are two links to the article, if you want to post them:
https://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/645
https://wuffingtonwag.com/articles/guest-wags/inside-the-world-of-horse-rescue/
The horses are NOT at auction. They are standing in a feedlot that is owned by a foreign company that operates a slaughter house in Canada. They will be headed there if we are unable to pull them to safety.
I think I may have been emailed already about the horse you mentioned. I asked for photos & description to get that info to people that might have seen him. Is his info posted anywhere?
Shirley
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Member:
jowidner
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 6:59 pm:
Holly and Sara, the more contact and details you get, the better I feel. I did do a little online homework on scams, and this is the best summary I have found thus far:
https://www.equihab.info/horsescams.htm
So I am feeling a little more relieved, but there are some things that I'm still a bit uneasy about - check out item # 5.
Any luck with Paypal Sara?
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 8:04 pm:
Thanks, Jo Ann,
I did a search on the IRS Page, and found that Valley View Ranch in King City, CA, is not a 501-C3, but the ranch's web-site does not claim to be.
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Member:
sooke
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 8:39 pm:
Hi Holly- I just e-mailed to Shirley again; just to say that I haven't heard anything more regarding that young girl and her old pal, but I did send her Shirley's e-mail address and I tracked down the phone numbers for Bouvry Exports in Fort Macleod, Alberta and sent those to her as there may be a chance he still on the huge feedlot
there. If I do hear any more back from her either way I'll post it here. Thanks, Holly and everybody.
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Member:
jowidner
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 8:47 pm:
Sara and Holly, I too did some searching on Shirley, and she has consistently used the alphavision email address, so that probably is her email, and not that of an impostor. A previous rescue listing also asked for funds to go to the same paypal address, so that sounds consistent too. Unless this is a long running scam, it sounds legit. If this was an impostor address or paypal account there seem to be enough history of contacts with area rescue organizations that I think that someone familiar with Shirley would have noticed and the jig would be up by now.
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Member:
amara
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 9:16 pm:
Another thing you guys can do to check the legitimacy of the business is to check with the chamber of commerce/better business bureau, in that town. As Holly also menioned, if its a non-profit 501 c3, then it needs to be listed with the IRS.
I have no idea of what standards pay pal uses. It is certainly "buyer beware" out there, and those of us in law enforcement recommend you use common sense and do research before sending out sums of money. Make sure you keep copies of everything you send, and to whom, and all correspondence, so that in the event of a fraud, you have all the information on hand. and make sure you report it immediately to the law enforcement office that you live in. That website that was linked with equine scams had some good info.
Personally I wouldnt send money if it wasnt a registered non profit. If i were going to rescue the horses I would bring the money and hand it over when I was taking possession of the horses.
"Deputy Mel"
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Member:
jowidner
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 9:48 pm:
Deputy Mel rides to the rescue! Pun intended. 
Thanks Mel!
Sure hope these guys are rescued, and Kim I especially hope that your young friend finds her horse in time.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, Jun 14, 2009 - 9:57 pm:
The problem with showing up with money is that when horses are on a feed lot they have to be paid for by a certain date or they will be shipped out. Someone has to come up with enough money to pay their fee to the feed lot. So, in this case, unless you can show up with a trailer before 6p.m. tomorrow and pay the feed lot the horses would be gone unless someone else comes up with the money to save them. If the horses were at a shelter or rescue already, that would be different. Also, from what I can gather, Shirley herself doesn't run a rescue, but works with many rescues and people to try and save as many horses (and other animals) as she possible can.
I haven't said I'd give money, but that I could care for horses until they were adopted. This hasn't "put her off" at all. I think if it was a scam she wouldn't bother with me unless I was going to send money.
I'm a very cautious, untrusting person in many instantces, but feel comfortable at this point with this particular deal.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 - 12:41 am:
I received an email from Shirley. All the horses' "pull fees" were paid and they may have all the horses placed in homes. As of 7p.m. (MST) they were $306 short! Cutting it kind of close for some of these horses.
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Member:
dustee
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 - 6:04 am:
Has anyone ever gotten a rescue horse through Shirley?
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 - 7:52 am:
dusty,
I have to admit that after Sara's post last night, I wondered the same thing. Is anyone close enough to Valley View Ranch to check to see if the horses went there from the feed lot in Fallon, NV? If they were purchased from the lot, they should be at the ranch in CA for at least as long as it takes to process the paperwork and get them trucked to their new owners.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 - 9:50 am:
From what I understand Shirley raises funds for various horse rescues, she isn't the one that places the horses. I don't think any of the horses have been moved yet, only enough money raised to "bail them out." However, I'm not sure nor am I positive how the process works, I"m just going by what I've gleaned from emails with Shirley and from articles I've read. You can do some research on your own. Just google her full name, also the names of some of the rescues she worked with, which you'll find in the articles. I suppose there's a thin chance that Shirley is a scam artist and that she's even gone so far as to set up false rescue sites complete with web pages and testimonials. However, I would have felt comfortable sending money had I had any extra to give. After a certain point, I would have felt that the slight chance I was wrong was out weighed by the chance I was right and was helping some horses in desperate need. However,I realize everyone has their own comfort level, and that I could be wrong.
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