Animal cruelty charges laid against Armstrong horse owner
ARMSTRONG – An Armstrong man is facing criminal charges after animal cruelty investigators seized 16 emaciated horses from his care.
Gary Roberts, 69, is charged with causing unnecessary pain or suffering to an animal and failing to provide necessities for an animal. He also faces one count of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.
The B.C. SPCA executed a warrant Dec. 11 and seized 16 of Roberts’ 117 horses. At the time, the animals were ranked at 0.5-1.5 on the body condition score, which goes up to nine. Roberts did not willingly give up the horses.
Chief prevention and enforcement officer with the B.C. SPCA Marcie Moriarty says Roberts was released on bail following his arrest Jan. 16.
“We work very closely with the Crown in these cases,” Moriarty says. “We wouldn’t recommend something we felt didn’t meet the standard.”
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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37 responses
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I have said it before, Darla, and will reiterate, that if Gary was having trouble caring for the horses he had, logic would suggest, he not have every mare in the herd exposed to his stallions.It costs little to separate the stallions. No there was deliberate intent involved, with abundant new babies hitting the ground at all times of the year.
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Simple logic Al Bateman would suggest that if he cannot afford to feed the horses he has he might have refrained from breeding more! If every mare of any age was not with foal it surely was of no credit to the restraint of Gary Roberts’s intentions.It doesn’t cost a lot of money to separate the stallions?I am thinking you have yet to truly think this through!
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Al Bateman :If he couldn’t afford to take on all these horses then he should not have done so…
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hi I am will to take up to 6 horses to my place on Vancouver island if anyone has a trailer going to the auction.
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Christina there are papers posted on SecondGo horses site and information on papers going with the horses.
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I don’t think it is anyone’s intend to destroy somebody’s life and everybody can run into unexpected difficulties and hardships, but when you don’t willingly give up and fight to keep even the ones in the poorest condition to be taking care of and nourished back by someone that can, You are committing cruelty to a lot and people wont trust you on the rest.
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WHat difference does it make if starving have papers?REALLY, that is the main concern.Maybe the ones with papers should be fed better than the ones without.
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Al Bateman how do neighbours not see this? if he isn’t breeding as a business does this not seem like a form of hoarding? Did anyone offer help or was he just talked about and left on his own to find a solution? This is not an over night thing…it takes months. Those who knew and said/did nothing are just as guilty.
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Sorry, but the guy is just wrong – how you can possibly excuse this person after hearing about the pain & suffering of these poor animals is beyond me.There is no excuse – if he couldn’t feed them – he should have given them away instead of starving them.I will pass judgement on any loser who is cruel to any animal.If you never “witnessed him abusing an animal” that means you actually SAW what was going on – an what did you do?Stand by…wow, that is pitiful!
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Refrain from passing judgement based on media excerpts. I am one of their neighbors and there must be circumstances why they have (likely been left with) too many animals. He is constantly trying to feed them and is likely flat-ass broke in doing so. Never witnessed him abusing an animal and he has always been friendly. I hate how the internet can destroy peoples’ lives before it even gets to trial.
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Christina Vermeer – Some of the horses are papered.More info about individual horses available in the “BC’s Buy, Sell & Trade Horses, Tack & More!” facebook group.
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Animal hoarders are truly sick people. Any amount of neglect is unacceptable for any type of animal but horses require a considerable financial output EACH to be properly cared for. How did this person acquire 117 horses in the first place, and why was neglect so bad that their body scores are so low, before it was dealt with. A body score of 3 makes a horse look starved so how many people ignores these animals plight for so long?
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Its OK to have 100 horses if you can feed them but this is disgusting But its also disgusting if they go for meat I hate our society and the way some people treat animals no need for this.
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most kill buyers wont buy starving animals…. because they have to put a lot of money in feed in them before they are worth anything. they prefer young healthy ones.
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Do we know if any of these horses are papered or if the papers will go with the horses. I sold this fellow horses years ago and would be prepared to buy them back.
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The whole herd is being shipped for auction. Spread the word and hopefully there will be buyers other than the meat man.Some decent ones amongst them!
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The horses are being shipped Tuesday to the auction yard, to be auctioned Feb 7.Please share everywhere! There are some decent animals in the bunch!At least some can avoid going for meat hopefully!
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word is spreading and there are people making plans to go to the auction and save as many as they can. donate money or hay if you can. that is the best way to ensure they all have a chance at a brighter future.
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Why would he not be grateful for someone taking the horses to be cared for? That to me shows intent to harm the animals. It should be a serious crime causing prison time considering the number of victims;.
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I understand that now they will go to auction where they surely will be bought by kill buyers.
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It did state in the article that he is facing charges. I think when you have 117 horses when your 69 is insane. I bet they are all being neglected if there is 16 for sure then there is most likely more. So sad, if you can’t take care of an animal rehome them to someone who can. Thats just animal hoarding, poor things.
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why would anyone want 117 horses, for what use?if you don’t have work for them or don’t ride them daily, why have them?huge expense even just for 1! I’d rather have a cow!
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sure wish they could charge these disgusting human beings, there has to be an example set here for other disgusting humans about not abusing your animals…..
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