Rescue too late to save starved horse

March 17, 2006

DARRELL L. BREESE/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - Children's toys dotting the front yard of the small blue home on Vicki Way in Wasilla gave no indication of the potential danger that lurked in the back yard.

Nick, a 3-year-old blonde Belgian draft horse, was struggling for his life because of inadequate food and water.

Michelle Nardini's children, and those under her charge in the day care operated from the home, loved the horse.

Despite the pleasant facade and adoration from the children, Nick was on the verge of death, causing Butte resident Camille Bruce and veterinarian Dr. Sabrieta Holland to attempt a rescue of the horse.

&#8220Cammie called me on March 6, and we went over to evaluate Nick,” Holland said. &#8220It was obvious to me then that he was in need of urgent care, so we removed the horse and took it to Cammie's barn in the Butte.”

Nick was unable to stand on his own, meaning Bruce and Holland had to secure a rope around his neck and drag him to the front yard and onto the trailer.

&#8220I didn't see any sign of food or water in the yard,” Holland said. &#8220But once I saw the horse, he was my primary concern. There was a frozen lump of hay in the yard, but nothing that would provide the necessary nutrients for a large draft horse.

Bruce, who knew the horse's owners, Michelle Nardini and Gary Fank, indicated she had told them how to properly care for the animal.

&#8220When they first got it back in October, I told them what to feed it, and how to care for such a big horse,” Bruce said. &#8220For a while they were doing fine, but things must have taken a severe turn for the worse somewhere between now and then.”

Fank had initially purchased Nick and a 12-year-old Appaloosa in October. The older horse had to be put down in December, because of failing health.

&#8220People told me when I got the horses that I rescued them,” Fank said. &#8220When I got them, they were both clearly underweight. I was trying to fatten them up over the winter.”

First-time horse owners, Fank and Nardini indicated they were providing the horse adequate food and water up until it got sick and Bruce and Holland removed it.

&#8220I was feeding it every day,” Fank said. &#8220I had been buying hay for it regularly. The last batch must have been bad because it froze into a solid block. In fact, the kids were riding just the day before Cammie came to get it.”

&#8220I didn't do anything wrong,” Fank said. &#8220The horse just got sick. I called a friend who used to be a vet's assistant and asked for help.”

After being provided with intravenous treatment for five days and a regular supply of food, Nick finally had the strength to stand on his own.

&#8220That was encouraging,” Holland said. &#8220We thought he was coming around and getting his strength back. But the next day he went into heart failure, and we had to put him down on (March 11).”

When interviewed Thursday, Fank wasn't aware the horse was no longer alive.

&#8220A vet is taking care of it now. We expect him to be coming home soon,” he said.

Holland had a hard time believing that as the preliminary indications from a necropsy performed Sunday indicated the cause of death was starvation.

&#8220There was so little fat on the horse that it probably hadn't eaten for over a month,” she explained. &#8220The heart is the last part of the body to lose fat, and I couldn't find any on it during my examination. The horse was clearly starved.”

Neighbor Critina Monear believes the tragic end of Nick's life could have been prevented.

&#8220I called Animal Control maybe 10 times since they got the horses,” Monear said. &#8220They came out a couple of times and should have done something to prevent or intervene.”

In December, Monear and her children observed Nick was eating the floor of the converted shed being used as a stable but was informed by an animal control officer that nothing could be done without a written complaint being made. After the complaint was filed, a citation was issued and Fank repaired the floor.

In January, Animal Control came to the house again when the horse had broken down a section of the fence.

In early February she called again and reported that the Appaloosa had been slaughtered and reportedly hauled off by a local dog musher in six pieces.

Finally, on Feb. 27, she called again after seeing Holland and Bruce trying to help the starving horse.

&#8220It was sad to sit back and watch nothing be done,” Monear said. &#8220Me and my kids would go over to feed the horses, and each time things got worse. The last time we tried to feed Nick an apple he didn't even have the strength to open his mouth wide enough to bite it.”

Borough assembly member Betty Vehrs, who has been involved in raising horses for more than 30 years, said she is troubled by both the death of Nick and the apparent lack of response.

&#8220I don't want to place blame on anyone in the Animal Control and Regulation Department,” Vehrs said. &#8220But I question how a horse can get that bad in such a short period of time and no one saw it in four visits.

&#8220I don't want to live in a borough that can allow something like this to happen without doing something to prevent it from happening again,” Vehrs continued. &#8220The way we care for the animals in this borough is a direct reflection of how we treat people. Whatever it takes to prevent this, we need to do it.”

Vehrs said that she will start drafting new codes to tighten the regulation to protect animals and also work on developing a network with agencies like the Alaska Equine Rescue, which would have stepped in to assist with Nick if it had been made aware of the situation.

&#8220There is help out there,” Holland said. &#8220People just need to ask. I have even provided care to people for free because they can't afford it. There was no reason for Nick to die.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@ frontiersman.com.