Neglect
ABUSES
Horses Found Starving At Ranch
Mar 30, 2012
MIMS, Fla. —Brevard County Officials said they want to shut down a horse ranch for neglect.
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Three horses were seized earlier and now investigators said they want to shut the whole place down.
Animal Enforcement officers said the abuse is happening at the Horse Sisters Ranch in Mims.
The ranch is a nonprofit ranch that offers its horses for therapy to patients with serious illnesses who find comfort in riding or being near the animals.
Earlier this month three horses were found close to starvation -- thin with bones showing and spines protruding.
Horse owner Clairese Austin said she had been homeless before starting Horse Sisters eight years ago. She keeps the horses rent-free on the land of a benefactor.
Austin said the horses are not being neglected and all of the animals were brought to Horse Sisters after being rescued. Those horses were unwanted, sick or old.
The county has asked a judge to order all of the horses impounded. The judge is expected to make a decision next week.
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ANON JK: A group of us have been trying to get the horses taken from her for years, court finally took 3, gave 2 to supposed adopters that were lined up by Clairese Austin so she could still have her control over them, the other was a pony and it was returned to her after being in a foster placement until he was healthy again. Within 6 days the pony, Smoky, was dead because she stuck him out in a round pen in the blazing sun with no food or water. She was court ordered not to take in any more horses and to find homes for the ones there, she took in 4 more...claimed they were boarders...court made her give a couple up that weren't already dead. She starves them to death!!!
There are horses out there now that are being starved and animal services seems to do little because the judge has always slapped her hand in the past but now there is a new judge so we only hope and pray for justice for the horses there.
Clairese talks a good game and plays on the heart strings of people who love animals. She uses the donations for her personal expenses and her personal horses...not for the starving ones!
Some days the horses get lucky and she throws rotten fruit and veggies out for them. There is nothing but weeds and sand, many die from colic and they lay there alone to die...she doesn't even check on them!!!
Clairese and her husband Ronald and son, Drake, are the registered owners of the rescue. Drake is a convicted thief, husband has convictions too.
They were at a local event last year with a starved horse full of body sores, they put a blanket on so most of the sores were covered. I took 2 pictures of the horse with a small child on it....with no helmet...Clairese saw my taking the pictures and came unglued and started screaming at me that I had no right taking pics and they damn well better not show up on Facebook !! Her son, Drake, then followed me around the event and I swear he was going to grab my camera so I held it tight and left.
28 days after this horse arrive healthy!!! Dead!
This is on another horse....this went untreated for weeks and then a half assed bandage wrapped around it that kept being dragged when the horse walked!
Sorry for the graphics but I want you all to know this is real!
There was a pond and an embankment on the back of the property but it has been filled in...many horses are there, under the dirt.
Emaciated horses in 2012
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, Petitioner, v. CLAIRESE AUSTIN, HORSESISTERS & ASSOCIATES, INC., ET AL Respondents/Owners.
May 1, 2012
No. 05-2012-CC-026032
County Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit for Brevard County
FINAL JUDGMENT
THIS MATTER came before the Court on the 29th day of March, 2012, upon Brevard County’s Petition for Hearing to Determine Fitness of Owners to Care for Animals (the “Petition”), and the Court having reviewed the pleadings, heard the argument of the parties, considered testimonial and documentary evidence, and being otherwise advised in the premises herein,
The Court makes the following FINDINGS OF FACT and CONCLUSIONS OF LAW:
1.This Court has jurisdiction of this matter pursuant to Section 828.073, Florida Statues.
2. Prior to trial, Petitioner Brevard County dismissed Chiarles Eugene Donahue and Jennifer Hauschild as parties to this action.
3. On February 29, 2012, Brevard County Animal Services and Enforcement (“BASE”) officers performed an inspection of horses in the care and custody of Respondents/Owners HorseSisters & Associates, Inc. and Clairese Austin pursuant to a lawfully issued inspection warrant. BASE was accompanied by Dr. Bradley W. Newman, DVM, of Newman Equine & Associates, P.A.
4. Dr. Newman examined each equine at the property. The results of the equine examinations are set forth in a written report by Dr. Newman, a copy of which was attached to to the Petition as Exhibit “A” and admitted into evidence as Defendant’s Exhibit 2. For purposes of future identification, evaluation and tracking of the remaining equines, a copy of Dr. Newman’s report is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”.
5. Dr. Newman described three of the equines examined as being emaciated, presenting with Body Condition Scores of 1 out of 9, 1.5 out of 9, and 2 out of 9.
6. BASE impounded these equines for care consistent with Dr. Newman’s recommendations. Specifically, BASE impounded the horses identified as Ben and Sargon, and the pony identified as Smokey.
7. Dr. Newman testified that in his opinion, the cause of thinness in the impounded equines was a lack of proper nutrition. Dr. Newman testified that, Respondents/Owners’ care for these animals did not meet the community standards for proper arid reasonable care of equines.
8. No credible evidence was presented that any of the impounded equines had been diagnosed
with a terminal illness or were dying of causes other than malnutrition.
9. Dr. Newman and BASE Sgt. Chris Robinson testified that all three of the impounded equines had exhibited improvement in body condition since being impounded. They also testified that the horses had become noticeably more spirited, having been lethargic at the time of impound.
10. BASE Sgt. Robinson testified and presented photographic evidence that between January 11, 2012 and February 29, 2012, he had noted a decline in weight in some of Respondents/Owners’ other horses that were not impounded by BASE.
11. Jennifer Hauschild also testified that, while volunteering with HorseSisters, she observed a decline in some horses other than Ben, Sargon, and Smokey, and that there were times when food was not available for the horses.
12. Dr. Newman testified that, while not all of the horses were in a condition necessitating immediate impound, a number of the remaining horses were underweight and required dental or other medical care.
13. Based upon the foregoing, the Court finds that Respondents/Owners HorseSisters Associates, Inc. and Clairese Austin are financially unable to provide for the impounded Ben and Sargon.
14. The Court finds that Respondents/Owners HorseSisters & Associates, Inc. and Austin have provided for the impounded pony Smokey for approximately twenty years, and they are currently able to adequately provide for him, subject to the conditions set forth herein below.
15. The Court finds that Respondents/Owners HorseSisters & Associates, Inc. is fit
and able to provide for the remaining 23 equines, subject to the conditions set forth herein below.
WHEREUPON, it is ORDERED and ADJUDGED as follows:
1. Custody of the impounded horses Ben and Sargon is hereby remanded to Charles Donahue and Jennifer Hauschild, who were in the process of adopting Ben and Sargon at the time the horses were impounded.
2. The pony Smokey is to be returned to Respondents/Owners HorseSisters & Associates, Inc. and Clairese Austin, who shall care for him unless and until he is adopted under the conditions herein.
3. The Respondents/Owners’ remaining equines, including Smokey, shall be subject to random, unannounced inspections by BASE to be performed monthly for a period of one year. BASE may return with a veterinarian of BAS ‘s: choosing should veterinary evaluation be necessary, in BASE’s sole discretion. Respondents owners are to cooperate with said inspections.
4. If, in the sole discretion of a veterinarian selected BASE, an equine is in need of immediate emergency medical treatment, the Respondents/Owners shall either promptly provide such treatment or allow BASE to provide such treatment. Respondents/Owners are responsible for the reasonable costs of any such treatment provided by BASE.
5. Respondents/Owners shall keep detailed records of feeding instructions, hay and feed purchases, medical treatment, farrier treatment, dental treatment, and any other care provided to the remaining equines. Respondents/Owners shall make such records available to BASE for inspection on a monthly basis, no later than the 1Oth day of the following month.
6. Respondents/Owners shall not acquire any additional equines unless and until the Court determines that Respondents/Owners are financially able to adequately provide for said animals. Respondents/Owners may adopt out remaining equines, but shall not replace them without Court approval.
7. Because the inadequate care in this case was due to ‘financial means, the Court reserves jurisdiction to award the cost of care to Brevard County, but:does not award the same at this time, as it will negatively impact the care of the animals.
8. The animals subject to this Final Judgment include all horses, donkeys, ponies and any other equines identified in Exhibit “A” hereto.
9. The Court reserves jurisdiction to enforce the terms of this Final Judgment. DONE AND ORDERED on this 12th day of April, 2011, Titusville Courthouse, Brevard County, Florida.
Kenneth Friedland
County Court Judge
ARRESTED!!
Jan 16, 2019
Earlier this evening, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office arrested 63-year-old, Clairese Marie Austin of Titusville after an investigation showed that she had failed to provide proper nutrition or veterinarian care for three horses in her care. Austin, who is the owner of Horse Sisters Rescue, was charged with three counts of Animal Cruelty. She was transported to the Brevard County Jail where she is being held on $6,000.00 bond.
The arrest occurred after the Sheriff’s Office was alerted by a citizen who was concerned for the welfare of the horses. The Sheriff’s Office Animal Services Unit responded to the rescue located in Mims where they found three horses on the property who were extremely emaciated, with one being unable to stand. Austin admitted to not caring for the horses, stating that she had not sought veterinarian care for the horses because she could not afford it. Unfortunately, one of the horses was in such bad shape that it had to be humanely euthanized at the scene.
The two remaining horses were seized and transported from the property by trailer to the Brevard County Animal Care Center where they were examined and are currently being cared for by our team. It was determined that the horses were suffering from extreme starvation due to neglect as the examining veterinarian advised this was the worst case of starvation that she had ever encountered.
There is absolutely no reason that these horses should have been allowed to suffer and not be properly cared for!! In our community there are any number of resources and citizens who would have gladly assisted with these horses. As I have said before... “if you harm an animal you need to go straight to jail!!” Cases such as this are so disturbing! How can people be so neglectful and uncaring to allow such senseless acts to occur to helpless pets who provide us with absolute and unconditional love.
I would like to personally thank the citizen who notified us, our incredible Animal Services Team and our Animal Cruelty Unit for all they did to provide care for the horses and to investigate the case so the perpetrator could be brought to justice!! Our team is working around the clock, providing love and care in hopes we can save the two remaining horses!!
Sheriff Wayne Ivey
ARRESTS-CHARGES
Clarise Austin
DOB: 03/23/1955
Brevard County
Case Number
|
Filing Date
|
Cause of Action
|
Fine
|
12/17/2002
|
Horsesisters VS Claudia Britt - Replevin
| ||
12/04/2006
|
Contract & Indebtedness
| ||
10/13/2010
|
Contract & Indebtedness
| ||
11/02/2010
|
Clairese Austin VS Diane Dibble - Repeat Violence
| ||
03/09/2012
|
Horses Confiscated
| ||
03/15/2012
|
Clairese Austin VS Diane Dibble - Repeat Violence
| ||
04/23/2012
|
Animal at Large (6)
| ||
10/02/2012
|
Animal at Large
|
$265
| |
03/04/2013
|
Animal at Large
|
$265
| |
05/02/2013
|
Battery
| ||
06/14/2013
|
Lois Pullum VS Clairese & Ron Austin
| ||
06/14/2013
|
Lois Pullum VS Clairese & Ron Austin
| ||
08/13/2013
|
Animal at Large (3)
|
$1245
| |
10/28/2013
|
Animal at Large
|
$415
| |
12/19/2013
|
Animal at Large (4)
|
$1600
| |
05/22/2014
|
Animal at Large (13)
|
$5395
| |
08/15/2018
|
Animal at Large (9)
|
$825
| |
08/30/2018
|
Battery
| ||
10/23/2018
|
Animal at Large (8)
|
$1720
| |
01/16/2019
|
Felony Animal Cruelty (3)
|
Judge: DAVID C KOENIG
