MIAMI COUNTY PONIES RESCUE-The True Story

The intent of this website is to reveal the story of the MIAMI COUNTY PONIES from the beginning to the present. The twists and turns encountered by various groups, once united and sometimes sadly broken apart are part ot the story. People worldwide have been affected and many have experienced every emotion humanly possible. As no one person could have successfully done a rescue such as this, the creators of this website wish to acknowledge all of the hundreds of people that were involved from the very beginning. Each person who at some point gave of themselves impacted the rescue. Names may be mentioned (or not) but more importantly , events will be referenced as the story unfolds. Let this story be a testimony to future rescuers. Operations of this magnitude will demand from different groups a unity in vision.

What Happened? The Beginning

Over the next few months we will be showing, never before seen pictures and following up with a time-line of the rescue, as it happened. The time-line runs from September 1998 to 2000

RESCUE OF THE PONIES OF MIAMI COUNTY, KANSAS

September 18, 1998

The Humane Society of the Heartland (located in Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas), received a phone call from Joseph Grant, regarding several horses, twenty five miles south of Olathe, that were not being fed or watered.

The Humane Society sent a member (a Veterinary Technician) out to meet Mr. Grant at the location. The member and a young cameraman filmed their discovery of more than 200 Hackney mix ponies, horribly abused and living in appalling conditions on Neuman Stern's property in Miami County, Kansas. The Miami County Sheriff's Department and the media were called to document and investigate this terrible discovery.

The Humane Society found 242 wild ponies, ranging in age from 3 months to 42 years old on a sixty-acre dry lot. The field had only weeds (not one blade of grass), a pond that was mostly dry, with a small puddle of green water in the center and scattered bones and skeletons of dead ponies.

The President of the Humane Society (Joedy Kleiner) requested the Miami County Sheriff's Department to file charges against Mr. Stern for neglect and abuse of the ponies.

The Miami County, KS Sheriff's Department, Humane Society volunteers, and a local Veterinarian met on Mr. Stern's property with a search warrant, to investigate the property and the condition of the animals.

September 19th & 20th 1998

Humane Society volunteers found a pony trapped in a barn, with a roof that had caved in around him, unable to stand up all the way and little space to turn around, with no food and old black water that he had to crawl to in order to drink. Mr. Stern informed the volunteers that the pony had been in that condition for over 6 months. We sadly named this pony "Clicker" because his hoofs had grown into spirals that were 12" inches or more long (see pictures). Clicker was a 15 year old stallion, and one of the true Hackneys still on the farm.

Two mares were found badly foundered, with hip and back conditions that had gone untreated for years. These conditions were not correctable. The mares, seven and fifteen years old would have to be destroyed, but Mr. Stern refused. We would have to have a judge order the ponies to be relieved of their pain.

There was twine, wood, nails, old cars, buckets, barbed wire, wire, trash bags, even several kitchen sinks laying on the property, so much debris that a pony could hurt itself badly. Several ponies had so much twine wrapped around their feet, legs, necks,and heads, that volunteers had to put their safety at risk in order to free the animals. In one case, three ponies were wrapped together so badly, caught and unable to move, that volunteers had to crawl under the ponies to cut them free. Barbed wire was caught in the tail of several ponies and was cutting in to their back legs. Two water tanks were found, both full of twine and black water. But, no food was found anywhere, just weeds.

One of the saddest ponies was an 18-year-old stud that was fenced off in an open barn with much stronger ponies. (see picture) This pony had been starved, his hooves curled up to his legs, with the only water available to him, black sludge in a pail. He had urine burns on his back and a large, oozing, untreated abscess on his belly. When Mr. Stern heard the pony was to be put down, Stern offered him some worm filled grain, but before the little guy could have a bite, the larger ponies pushed him away. Seconds later, on September 19th 1998, a kind, and caring Veterinarian had to put the pony to sleep.

One of the volunteers went to take a picture of the green puddle of water that was the remnants of a pond. What was thought to be a small hill above the pond (in the direct line of the water run off) turned out to be a pile of dead ponies that had been piled on top of each other time and time again. Apparently, each time, a small amount of soil was poured over the dead bodies. About 20 or so ponies were found to be in this hill of bodies. All this time, Mr. Stern claimed that no ponies had died on the property.

Also found was a 3 month old filly (see picture), with a compound fracture of her left front leg. This baby's hoof was dangling from her leg as she was trying to stand on raw bone. The Veterinarians felt she had been in that condition for at least six weeks. With questions of WHY? The volunteers all turned to Mr. Stern, in answer he said, " It was too bad", and he walked away. Then, for the first time in her life a human touched her. Good-byes were said, tears were shed, and one small baby closed her eyes and went home.

Eight wild ponies were destroyed those first two weeks due to founder, neglect, malnourishment, blindness, back and hip problems, or a broken leg. During the discovery period, Mr. Stern followed volunteers around, continually telling them "I've done nothing wrong".

September 23, 1998

Miami County Judge Stephen B. Hill asked the Humane Society if they were willing to take on the responsibility of the 234 ponies, until they could be adopted. The members, knowing that if they walked away at this time, the ponies could end up being slaughtered or even worse, left to Mr. Stern. Even though the Humane Society only had 36 members and only 6 of them were under the age of 65 years old, the Humane Society told the Judge they would accept responsibility. Knowing that this was going to be the biggest challenge the members would ever face, they still refused to turn their backs on these animals. When Mr. Stern was asked by the Judge if he was guilty of the 18 counts of neglect, Mr. Stern's attorney answered that, Mr. Stern was "technically guilty". He further explained that Mr. Stern wasn't guilty because he had an addiction to horses, that caused him to collect them. At that time, Judge Hill ordered Mr. Stern to turn over the remaining 234 ponies to the Humane Society of the Heartland, so they could began to prepare the ponies for adoption. A hearing was then set for October 1st, 1998 in case of The State of Kansas V. Neuman Stern.

By this time, the media had picked up the story, but had stated that the animals were horses (not ponies). Volunteers spent alot of time trying to explain to the media and potential adopters that these were wild ponies, NOT horses. The one single phone line at the Humane Society of the Heartland (in a volunteer's house) started ringing off the hook, around the clock. Another line was put in, but it was also unable to carry the load of all the phone calls. An email address was set up, but again, over 300 emails poured in, per day, to one address. So, a second email address was set up to answer questions. There was so much mail that the Post Office had to put mail in a large cardboard box that was picked up daily. The mail ranged from curious inquiries to donations and requests to adopt . Still, the calls, mail and emails overwhelmed the volunteers. Volunteers were set up in different locations to take phone calls for hay and grain donations and to set up the delivery times. Medical supply donations, veterinarians, vet techs, and farriers offering to donate their help were answered by a vet tech working with the Humane Society. Volunteers offering to help with clean up, putting up fencing and trying to catch the many wild cats on the property were organized. Students at the local Olathe South High School offered to do fund raisers and help in any way they could. They never expected what we would be asking for, later in the rescue. Besides hay and grain, one of the most pressing needs was for fencing to contain the ponies in workable areas on the property. An Olathe business, Home Depot Inc., offered to donate all the fencing that would be needed and other supplies. This wonderful business allowed the volunteers to come into the store and choose whatever the rescue required. Soon, the Humane Society started receiving money donations, so HSH set up a Pony Fund at the First National Bank of Olathe. The bank would then help keep track of the amount of donations and the donors names.

A local veterinarian offered to donate his time and help set up a team of volunteer veterinarians, vet techs., and farriers, out of the growing list of volunteers. Then, "Hard Copy" tm called wanting to do a story of the rescue.

Click Here for More of the Story!!!

Watch this space, more pictures soon!!

NEW Pictures of the Rescue!!!!!

"Clicker" trapped under collapsed barn

Click here to see more pictures!!!

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