The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-09-01
TURNED HORSES OUT
TO STARVE IN COLD
OREGON ANIMAL S LEFT TO
ROAM AND DIE IN SNOW
WHEN VALUE DROPPED.

y
the unclaimed range horses OF east
ern Oregon are receiving attention
OF the citizens, says Our Dumb Ami
mails" The work OF relieving their
suffering is being accomplished through
cooperation Of the county officials,
the newly organized Humane Society,
Of Baker Ore. and ranchers.
Since the price OF horses dropped
all but ranch work horses are consider
ed valueless, and the range stock have
had to SHIFT for themselves during the
winter and summer.
Owners failed to bring them in dur
ing the fall round-ups.
They have taken the attitude that
if the horses starve there will be no
financial loss as they are hardly worth
their winters feed, and if they should
manage to live through the winter
they could be caught in the spring and
if needed be broken in for work or be
used in the bucking rodeos.
$500 In One County.
Approximately $500 horses were
wandering about the ranches in Baker
county, Oregon, starving for lack OF
food and when the deep SHOWS came
and there was absolutely nothing lett
to browse upon they invaded towns,
struggling weakly in in groups OF
from three to ten or more, wandering
aimlessly around dumbly asking for
food. without even the ability OF stray
dogs and cats to provide for their own
needs.
They paved the snow from the city
lawns and stood in groups on the other
side of fences that protected haystacks
on ranches. A dead horse along the
highway was no uncommon sight in
certain districts.
1t was this pitiful condition that
aroused the citizens Of Baker to or
ganize humane society to provide
for their immediate needs; to locate
the owners Through brands) and com
pei them to take proper care OF their
stock; and to kill all that were beyond
saving or were manned in some way.
In several instances it was necessary
to shoot horses in isolated districts,
as they were too weak to plow through
the deep SHOWS.
As there were no funds in the coun-
ty treasury the expenses were borne
by the society and by private citizens
who gave hay and other feed.
A foreman was appointed to con-
duct the roundup OF these horses,
and local ranchers volunteered to ride
the range and scour the countryside |
for stray animals. When it was adver
tised that owners of the horses picked
up on the range would have to pay
penalties and expenses many private
individuals began Immediately to col
lect their own or to assist in the work.
The first day the workers brought in
125 horses, many Of them in pltiful
condition.
Farmers Willing Workers.
Another days work brought relief
to over 800 In all more than 1901
horses were brought in and cared for.
Each district staged it's own roundup
by covering the territory thoroughly.
With but few exceptions the farm
ers were willing workers their wives
providing hot meals at various local-
ties for the men, who were frequently
exhausted after riding all day in a snow
storm or walking miles on snoW-shoes
to reach a band OF horses that had
sought shelter in some distant canyon
or gully and had been showed in.
This happened frequently, and many
bands were found marooned miles
from a ranch hedged in by a wall
Of snow seven or eight feet deep.
In such cases it was necessary to re-
turn the next day with shovels SO as
to clear path for the horses that were
too weak to founder through the deep
snow.
Many rangers conscientiously try to
round up their range stock, but the
territory covered by these horses isl
vast an the animals become wild and
hide in the dense timber and deep gull
lies and it is not surprising that some
are overlooked.
But many owners have deliberately
refused to bring in their range stock,
preferring to let them suffer rather
than give them food and shelter for
the winter