Dozens of once-starving horses find homes at auction

Hennessey - Dozens of horses discovered near starvation more than a year ago now have new homes.<br><br>Gene and Janie Richardson rehabilitated the horses after they were found in a Kingfisher County pasture

Sunday, February 1st 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Hennessey - Dozens of horses discovered near starvation more than a year ago now have new homes.

Gene and Janie Richardson rehabilitated the horses after they were found in a Kingfisher County pasture in November 2002. Yesterday, the 98 horses were auctioned off.

And they didn't just go anywhere. None of the horses went to anyone known to sell animals to slaughterhouses, which pay sellers by the pound for horses.

Gene Richardson says the auction won't even start to pay the bills, but he's glad the ordeal is over with.

Trial is scheduled tomorrow for the original owner of the horses, retired Enid veterinarian Jess Brewer. Brewer has pleaded innocent to 17 counts of animal cruelty. He says his business partner was responsible for caring for the horses.