Target: Rachel Mitchell, Maricopa County Attorney, Phoenix, Arizona
Goal: Seek maximum lawful penalties, a lifetime animal-ownership ban, restitution, and mandated counseling after a horse was reportedly left with oozing wounds and hooves allegedly neglected for at least a year, leading to euthanasia.
Video and photos reportedly show a single horse in grievous condition, with open sores, oozing flesh, and injuries that went far beyond everyday scrapes. An equestrian response team and a veterinarian were called, and the veterinarian advised police that the horse’s feet had not been cared for in at least a year. As the images circulated, animal advocates expressed outrage and fear that a sentient being had apparently been left to suffer for months. The horse was euthanized, according to accounts, because the neglect and injuries appeared insurmountable.
Witnesses say the situation unfolded at a private residence now at the center of an active animal-cruelty investigation. Responders reportedly encountered extensive wounds, along with statements suggesting long-term hoof neglect. A person on the property claimed the horse had been taken in as a rescue two months prior, yet could not or would not identify where the animal came from or explain the severe injuries. Nearly a dozen officers arrived, and a detective opened a case into the neglect and abuse allegations.
Accountability should match the harm. Arizona law prohibits cruel neglect, and prosecutors can, where supported by evidence, pursue felony animal-cruelty charges, seek a lifetime ban on owning or supervising animals, and request restitution for emergency response and veterinary care. Mandated counseling or education can address root causes and help prevent future suffering. This petition calls for vigorous prosecution that reflects the gravity of a case in which a horse, reportedly left with oozing wounds and year-long hoof neglect, lost any chance at recovery.
PETITION LETTER:
County Attorney Mitchell,
Reports and images from a private residence depict a horse in extreme distress, with open, oozing wounds and what a veterinarian described as at least a year of hoof neglect. The equestrian community says the suffering was profound, and the animal was euthanized after responders and a veterinarian assessed the extent of the injuries. Police assigned a detective, and the investigation is ongoing.
We respectfully urge your office to file every appropriate charge supported by the evidence and seek maximum lawful penalties at disposition. We ask that you request a lifetime prohibition on owning, keeping, breeding, or supervising animals, along with court-ordered counseling or education aimed at preventing repeat neglect. Please also pursue restitution for veterinary stabilization, humane euthanasia, and agency costs incurred, as well as any compliance measures available under Arizona law.
A firm, transparent outcome will honor the life that was reportedly lost, deter future cruelty, and reassure the public that severe neglect meets serious consequence in Maricopa County.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Montanabw
