ASPCA, SCRAPS Helps Last of Spokane’s Rescued Horses Find New Homes

Spokane, Wash.—The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) announced today that it will wrap up its operational support in Spokane, Wash. next Monday, December 23 after helping Spokane County Regional Animal Protective Services (SCRAPS) find placement for the majority of horses seized during an animal cruelty investigation last month.

Forty-seven of the horses have been placed with adopters, foster families or rescue groups to be made available for adoption. An additional four horses will be transported to 808 Equine Rescue (Calhan, Colo.) on December 21. SCRAPS will subsequently shut down their operation at the Spokane fairgrounds and transport the remaining horses to a boarding facility. The ASPCA will continue to support SCRAPS remotely with boarding costs and finding new homes for the last remaining horses.

Since mid-November, the ASPCA has been assisting SCRAPS with the sheltering and care of 63 neglected horses seized from the property of Jan Hickerson on November 15. After Hickerson failed to file a petition for custody of the horses, SCRAPS was assigned custody on December 11 and subsequently began working with the ASPCA to get the horses into new homes.

“These horses have made incredible progress since they were rescued last month. They are remarkably resilient animals,” said Dr. Dick Green, senior disaster response director of the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response team. “SCRAPS has gone to great lengths to rehabilitate these horses from the neglect they suffered. We’re proud to support them and see these horses off to better futures.”

“Without the help of the ASPCA, we could not have rehabilitated and re-homed these horses so swiftly,” said Nancy Hill, director of SCRAPS. “This was the largest horse rescue in our organization’s history and we are extremely grateful to the ASPCA members for their willingness to brave our Northwest winters and give up their holidays with their families to help.”

Local authorities have issued a warrant for the arrest of property owner Janice Hickerson on charges of animal cruelty in the first degree and transporting or confining animals in an unsafe manner. Her whereabouts remain unknown.

For those interested in adopting a horse or donating to SCRAPS, please contact SCRAPS at (509) 477-2532.