Horses Taken from Rose Township Farm

ROSE TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Over a dozen horses have been taken away from a farm in Oakland County.

We’re told it was neighbors who first tipped off Oakland County Animal Control that the horses at the farm were too skinny. However, we spoke to the owner, who says there’s a logical explanation.

A total of 18 horses pictured with their ribs and bones showing and barely any muscle.

’This is pretty bad. I worked here 20 years and this is one of the worst that I’ve seen,’ said Oakland County Animal Control Sgt. Joanie Toole.

According to Toole, the horses got this way by living on a Rose Township farm. The owners claim to be running what they call a farm animal rescue.

’They were not feeding them properly. They weren’t giving them the proper amount of hay or grain, which led to them becoming emaciated,’ Toole said.

’A horse is emaciated not when it shows rib because most race horses show rib,’ said John Dolza. ’That’s a sign of a healthy, lean animal.’

’Some of them were brought to us in terrible condition and were considerably better than when they’d been brought here,’ he added.

Dolza helps run the rescue farm with his girlfriend, who owns the property, and claims she was just in over her head. He eventually gave us a tour of the grounds. They still have two horses.

’You were given horses that were dropped off by people that said take these because we’re being kicked out of our home and we don’t want to give them to the meat market. That’s fair. That’s legitimate,’ Dolza said. ’In the last month, I have receipts for like over half a ton of grain, hundreds of bales of hay. This is what I spend money to do is to try to rehabilitate these horses.’

We asked Dolza if he could show us an action plan or the receipts. He replied, ’I’d be glad to’ Unfortunately, my evening is supposed to be doing other things right now.’

Animal Control tried working with the couple to bring the horses back to good health, but claims nothing changed. That’s when they were forced to take the horses away.

The owner of the property could now be charged with 18 counts of animal cruelty.

’I don’t understand how someone could sit by and watch an animal just waste away like that,’ said Toole.

Dolza and his girlfriend claim they will fight to get their horses back. In the meantime, they are being held by Animal Control and Oakland County. If you would like to help feed and care for these horses, you can send a donation to the Oakland County Animal Shelter, 1700 Brown Road, Auburn Hills, Michigan 48326. You can also visit www.oakgov.com/petadoptions for more information.