Update: Surviving "Graveyard" Horses Declared Abandoned by Courts

Non-profit organization currently caring for surviving horses awarded custody of all 56 horses; 22 of which are pregnant.

Open House to meet the horses Saturday, Jan. 7th from 1pm to 3pm at The Grace Foundation Ranch:

5800 Latigo Lane

El Dorado Hills, Ca 95762

Who: The Grace Foundation of Northern California.

What: The Grace Foundation is awarded custody of the 56 Susanville Horses.

When: The media and the community are invited out to The Grace Foundation Ranch, Sat., January 7 from 1 to 3 pm to meet these horses.

The media is welcome at the ranch any time to see the horses.

Where: 5800 Latigo Lane, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762.

Contact: Beth DeCaprio (916) 396-2768 or (916) 941-0800 beth@thegracefoundationofnorcal.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

(January 6, 2012)

The New Year started out well for 56 horses that were found abused and starved on the Whispering Pines Ranch last year in Susanville, CA. For the past five months the fate of these horses has been in question, as the bankruptcy courts looked into releasing them back to the man accused of over 65 felony counts of animal cruelty involving these horses.

The man accused of neglecting these horses, Dwight A. Bennett was arrested in October and charged with 70 felony counts of animal cruelty. During his arrest, sheriff deputies found 28 dead horses and three dead dogs on Bennett's Whispering Pines Ranch. The horses that survived were turned over to The Grace Foundation of Northern California, an animal rescue organization that specializes in the rescue and rehabilitation of abused and neglected horses. The plan was to begin to rehabilitate the horses and place them into loving homes. However, Bennett filed bankruptcy and declared these horses assets of his estate, stopping any possibility of the horses being adopted or re-homed.

While the federal courts were determining the fate of the horses, the arraignment of Bennett was taking place in a Susanville courthouse. During the arraignment, Bennett entered a plea of not guilty and the case against Bennett will now continue on February 7, 2012.

For The Grace Foundation the bankruptcy ruling is bittersweet. Grace can now begin the process of evaluating all of the horses through behavioral and handler assessments to determine their adoptability, but the overwhelming cost for their care still weights heavy on the shoulders of a non-profit that was already inundated with the overwhelming need for its services. The ranch is currently home to over 250 animals.

Due to the considerable probability of high-risk deliveries and premature foals, all pregnant mares will remain at The Grace Foundation until after they deliver their babies, and until it can be determined that both mare and foal are healthy and strong. At that time, both mare and foal may be available for adoption together.

Several people have already come forward and made ownership claims on horses from Whispering Pines. Now that the horses are no longer in temporary custody, The Grace Foundation will begin to assess these claims.

Although The Grace Foundation may now begin the process of assessing and placing the horses that are not pregnant up for adoption, the Foundation must still find a way to cover the cost of the horses' care for the time being. The estimated costs of caring for these horses and foals over the next 10 months are over $200,000.

"It is our greatest hope that the community will continue to come together and support Grace in our efforts to provide these horses with the best possible care," said Executive Director and Founder, Beth DeCaprio.

The Grace Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit and runs almost entirely by the hard work and dedication of volunteers. "It is only because of the help and support of our volunteers and donors, that The Grace Foundation is able to provide these horses, and all of the other animals at the ranch, with a chance at a new life," said DeCaprio.

The Grace Foundation is having an open house and "thank you" celebration for the community that has helped to make the care of these horses possible. It will be the first time that the horses can meet and greet everyone, since they are no longer in temporary custody.

The open house will take place this Saturday, January 7^th from 1 to 3 pm. Everyone is invited to come out to the Grace Ranch and meet the Susanville Horses and the other animals on the ranch.

Background:

In April, The Grace Foundation was called in to take custody of the first 20 horses involved in this case, after Bennett willingly surrendered them to Lassen County Animal Control.

In August, Wells Fargo and Bank of America continued the foreclosure process on Bennett's Whispering Pines Ranch property. The remaining 36 horses where then turned over to The Grace Foundation, along with a grant from the two institutions to help with the initial medical care and feed for these horses.

The plan was to get these horses adopted out into new homes as quickly as possible. But in an 11^th hour legal twist that was not foreseen, Bennett filed for bankruptcy in September, listing the horses as assets in his bankruptcy case.

In late October, Bennett was arrested and charges were brought against him for animal cruelty and neglect, as well as for the methamphetamine that was found in his possession. During his arrest, 28 horses and 3 dogs were found dead on Bennett's property.

Bennett's arraignment was held January 3, 2012, at the Lassen County Courthouse in Susanville, CA, where he plead not guilty and submitted a motion for dismissal of charges.

January 3, 2012, the bankruptcy court, on the motion of the Chapter 7 Trustee, ordered all of Bennett's animals abandoned, thereby affirming The Grace Foundation of Northern California's legal custody of the animals.