A Horse Rescue in Colorado, the Animal Angels Horse Rescue ranch in Fort Collins, had 27 animals seized on Saturday.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14945333/detail.html

It looks almost like the rescue operator became an animal hoarder, trying to take on more than she could handle.

Basset_Lover

The "rescue" operator did not come off well on the clip I saw on TV. She sounded combative and defensive and not very concerned about the animals. I hope she gets the help she needs -- she did not seem well.

That's a tough one. She MAY have done absolutely nothing wrong. If she got a bunch of horses in at the start of winter that were in bad shape or emaciated, how is that her fault? None of the horses in the news video looked 'that bad'. Definately not on deaths door.

Her hay was good quality. Though what she was showing on the news wouldn't last long with 76 animals. When you have that many, it is hard to maintain them. Normally it is few with underlying problems or issues that might slip through the cracks and either not improve or actually worsen.

If she really does have 20 part time volunteers 76 animals is not more than they should be able to handle. I have been to show barns with as many horses and WAY less staff than 20. 4-5 full time people should be able to give great care to that many horses.

As far as the lady's demeanor on tv, if someone snatched 20 of my animals and accused me of abusing them, I would sound pretty upset and insane too.

Rescuers may want to take notes, I hope everyone documents when they get the animals and take pictures of how they came in. People can accuse you of not caring for your rescues.

ali -- That's possible, but keep in mind that it's been COLD here the last few weeks -- not the unseasonable weather you've been having in the east.

"Every time any of the personnel were on the scene to evaluate the condition of the animals, the water buckets were all frozen over, there weren't stock heaters, tank heaters in the water, there was inadequate water, and again, the feed wasn't a good quality feed," Alderden said.
http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=83572

Larimer county is also the home of the vet school (at CSU) -- so they have a good chance of knowing what they are doing.

This doesn't appear to be a seizure out of the blue. More on this story:

Dispute over another rescue taking 3 horses:
http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=83529

This link includes the video I originally saw:
http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=83572

Today's update:
http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=83666
Beth Koschel of Loveland was happy to see the animals seized. Koschel said she gave two of her horses to Matchett when she lost her job and could no longer care for them. About a year later, a volunteer at Matchett's rescue told her that her 27-year-old mare, Swinger, was very skinny, Koschel said. "The mare was a skeleton with skin over her body," Koschel said. After some dilemma with the ownership rights, Koschel got her horses back and said they are now in good health.