"In Aug 2005 we found out I was pregnant & pregnant with twins... My husband & I were feeling badly that Jake was not getting ridden as much as before the pregnancy. We had decided to start looking for a new home for Jake... I've always taken extremely good care of my animals so this was not an easy decision, nor was it a financial decision. My husband & I wanted the best for young Jake; trial rides & love as we gave him. I started screening different interested parties, but nobody seemed good enough for Jake. I soon received a call from my horse shoer who said one of his clients would love to see Jake & might be interested in making him a part of their family. I agreed to meet with this woman & her daughter. They seem so nice & really took to Jake. The daughter was in horse husbandry classes & wanted to some day be a vet. They both assured me they would provide him a wonderful loving home. I in turn said if you promise to give him a good home I will give him to you at no cost, because my first and for-most priority is that Jake is happy. Also, if he doesn't work out, please return him to us. So this was October of 2005, I was 3 months pregnant with the twins. Though I missed him very much, I felt good about Jake's new home & owners.
"This is why I am writing you: I've been keeping myself updated with your web-site since I found it about 7 months ago, because I have always wanted to help in one way or another. Tonight, the twins had fallen asleep. My husband & I were talking about how we could help Norcal Equine in 2009. My husband said "Look I found a YouTube video with Norcal Equine saving some horses." We went to watch it & I saw Jake in your video dated 12-11-2005. I'm still shaking as I am writing you this letter, because my heart & soul is broken to the core, I can not describe my pain into words. If I could ask you to re-watch this video. It look place 12-11-2005 at the Roseville Auction. Norcal Equine is looking at a Black horse (Zoro) he is with two other horses a White horse & a Large Brown and White paint. The Big Brown & White paint is Jake. I know 100% that is my Jake.
"I'm horrified that this woman would take Jake to auction not even 2 1/2 months after telling me she would provide a wonderful home. I keep asking myself --"why didn't she just return him to me" as we had made that agreement the day she picked Jake up, if it didn't work out.
If you can remember anything about Jake @ the 12-11-05 auction or if you might know of how I can research to find him please contact me. I would give anything to get him back."
Click here to see the Youtube video talked about above.
As it turns out, we had some great footage of the Paint horse in our archives, but unfortunately we were unable to decipher his auction number. While Tawnee called her up and gave her some pointers on how to hopefully locate the seller and buyer of Jake at the auction, Jason was rendering some more video footage of the Paint for her.
California code 3305 states: "Every auctioneer who sells any animal of the horse kind or any mules must keep a book in which he must register the name of each and every person bringing or offering any horse or mule to be sold and the name of the person purchasing such horse or mule together with the date of such sale and a description of each horse or mule sold together with the marks and brands. The book is a public record subject to the inspection of any person desiring to inspect the same." So, we are hopeful that the lady will be able to track Jake down and give him a great forever home.
After receiving the extended footage of the Paint the lady says "Yes, for sure that is Jake." Please, if you have any information on this horse, please let us know. He was sold at the Roseville Livestock Auction Dec 11th, 2005. This is Jake, taken Dec 11th, 2005. We wonder how many other horses are sold at auction a month or two after the people promised to love them forever? Let's hope and pray that this boy has not been shipped to a slaughter house, and is still out there somewhere. Let's try to get this boy back home where he belongs! He is a big big horse, the black behind him is a 17.2 hand horse.
A contractor loaned us his airless paint sprayer to expedite the painting process. Early this morning Jason got to painting and within an hour was done with the tack room and office. At least the white part is done, after it dries it will be time for the dark green trim.
Today Tawnee and Claire headed out to the Orland Livestock Exchange auction. Tawnee has been going there for quite a number of years. Orland is canceling their horse sales and will only be having livestock sales of goats, pigs, sheep, cows, etc. When NorCal first started rescuing horses from auctions we mainly rescued from Shasta Livestock Auction, near Cottonwood, which shut down a few years ago. Shasta Livestock Auction had the most brutal staff we have ever seen at auctions, with senseless beatings, whippings, injuries, etc from the auction staff, so we were very thankful when it closed down. One day Tawnee and Jason made the 7 hour trip to the auction, just to find out they were selling no more horses.In the photo below Tawnee is about 6 years old, her and her mom were trying to save a day old calf at Orland Livestock Auction. Tawnee wanted to save them all including the sheep.
And today, we attended Orland's last horse sale. Since these auctions have closed it is making it harder for kb's to congregate and load up their trailers. When Tawnee and Claire arrived at the sale, Tawnee wanted to stay out of sight of the KB's, the same buyers that attend many other horse auctions. Tawnee saw them standing in the hallway right in front of the seating area, so Tawnee pulled her jacket hood down, slipped behind them and sat down unnoticed in the crowd of people. Of course once she started bidding, keeping the price above what the KB's wanted to pay, they started looking around and their eyes bulged when they saw her sitting up there.
After the sale Tawnee laid low in the truck with the camera, not wanting to be seen by any of the staff. The KB's seemed to be in an extra special rush to leave. Tawnee sent Claire out with instructions to buy one of the horses that went through the auction, Tawnee had tried to bid on it, but the auctioneer ignored her. It was announced as a bucker and kicker, and Tawnee was concerned that the horse may go to slaughter. Claire was successful and the horse was rescued! So in the end two horses were rescued today.
As Tawnee was laying low in the truck observing the loading of horses, this stallion was brought out and the new owners proceeded to try to load it into their small trailer. The horse was not interested in loading, and after pulling and tugging, they tied the horse to a long rope that must have been attached to the trailer. This is a perfect example of why you should park your car a long ways from any trailers at auctions...
The poor horse would take off running to get away from the trailer, hit the end of the rope and whiplash. Over and over...
...and over again. Tawnee called Claire on the cell phone "Go get that horse!" 
Claire talked with the owners, who seemed to be very nice and concerned about the horse. One of the auction workers by now had stopped the whiplashing and led the horse back into the correls. The owners did not really want to sell the horse, they wanted to get him gelded and trained, so we watched them load him properly using the chutes. He pulled back once and then jumped into the trailer. Hopefully these people can learn that you simply do not tie a horse to a trailer in an attempt to load him.
Finally things settled down and Claire headed over with the halters and lead ropes to get our horses. The auction staff helped lead the horses over to the trailer and load them. Claire asked about KB's attending the auction and why they were closing the horse sale. As far as the KB's go, "Well, no, we don't have... well, there are some, but where else would the horses go?" As far as the sale closing for horses, their answer was open ended and didn't make a lot of sense. The good news is, the kb's can no longer congregate at this auction yard.
It was a long foggy drive back to the rescue, Tawnee and Claire made it back after dark, got the horses unloaded..
Thanks again so much for your support in making auction rescues a reality and furthering our rescue efforts. There will be no more blogs until next year. (2009)
Happy New Year!
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