Man Who Dragged and Beat Horse Found Not Guilty - Take Action!

Last month, we alerted ALDF's Anti-Cruelty Team to a horrific case of horse abuse that needed their attention. We thank everyone who took action by writing letters and making phone calls!

Despite the overwhelming response and public outcry, on March 19, 2009, March 19, 2009, a jury acquitted Gordon Allen Bates of Pinal County, Arizona, finding him “not guilty” after being charged with felony animal cruelty for dragging a horse behind his truck and then beating the horse with a PVC pipe while his 13-year-old daughter kicked the horse in the head, while both yelled at the horse to get up.

According to a news report, a deputy who remained with the horse for an hour after the incident saw blood dripping from the animal's nostrils the entire time. He said the horse had new and old injuries: multiple bruises on its rump, cuts on its face and neck, cuts from a tow strap used to drag it, deep cuts on its legs and swelling under one eye where the horse was beaten with the pipe.

What You Can Do

Take action by writing a letter to your local newspaper editor using ALDF's letter to the editor online action center. While there was no justice for the horse who was savagely beaten in this case, it is a reminder that each and every one of us needs to make sure that our communities take a strong stance against animal abuse-for the sake of our animals, and the safety of our communities.