Plea for Long Island Five in Horse Directory

...and one ironic ad

One alert member of liequine.com pointed out the irony that a plea to help save the Long Island Five (the horses seized by the Suffolk County SPCA from the custody of Salvatore Gandolfo) appeared in the October 2008 Long Island Horse Directory, opposite a full-page color display advertisement for Windy Meadow Farms, the training and horse-sale operation run by Gandolfo's wife and son.

Page 36 & 37 (click image to enlarge):




This unfortunate juxtaposition followed a short item in "Barn News" (written in first person?) about the Windy Meadow Farms show team.

Page 35:






JCE 9-3 ginnyjunior wrote on liequine.com:

Can you imagine [the Gandolfos] caring for your horse who needs medical attention daily?? I am sorry but if there was time enough for the magazine to get an ad in for October about donations needed for the seized horses there was time to plan for a better layout. I understand that maybe Horse Directory was unable to remove the Windy Meadow advertisement BUT I do feel that they should have been more sensitive to the issue and realize that the entire Long Island horse population is pulling for these horses right now. Am I alone in feeling this way?

"Ginnyjunior" is probably not alone and rightly points out the cringe factor. However, the issue isn't the lack of time to "plan for a better layout," but the actual nature of trade publications themselves.

China Wall vs. Shower Curtain
Trade publications rely upon the advertising dollars of the subjects frequently covered in their editorial — the "China Wall" that theoretically exists between the advertising and editorial departments of most media is better described as a "shower curtain" when it comes to trade publications.

Clearly, the placement of the full-page ad was meant to capitalize on the editorial content in "Barn News."

It's interesting that the Windy Meadow Farms item in "Barn News" is the only one written in first-person plural, suggesting that it was taken directly from a press release, or, at least, written and submitted by the Gandolfos or a member of the "show team." It's not exactly industry standard, but what do you expect from a local trade magazine?

Make good?
Typically, when an advertiser isn't happy with the editorial content facing their ad (i.e. an article about the harmful impact of herbicides next to an ad for Roundup™, or the latest drunk driving statistics running next to a liquor ad), the advertiser will demand a "make good."

The Gandolfos didn't get their $630 worth, once the "Keep the Five Alive" notice was added, despite the self-promotion in "Barn News." It's hard to believe that they might go as far as to request a "make good" and have the Horse Directory re-run the ad (see Horse Directory rates and terms). Considering Salvatore Gandolfo's current legal problems, the publication might be wondering if they are going to get paid.

Hopefully, the Horse Directory will run a real "make good" and provide the Long Island horse community some serious coverage of this past month's shocking events.

Volunteers taking care of the Long Island Five honored

Twenty volunteers who have been helping take care of the five horses siezed in Central Islip on September 28, 2008 are being commended today by the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Here's the coverage from New York Newsday:

Neglected horse care-takers to be commended
By Nia-Malika Henderson

October 18 — A group of young people who are helping to nurse five neglected, starved horses back to health will be commended Sunday by the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, officials said.

About 20 young people have volunteered their time "to give the horses the care, love and affection" the animals need, according to a release Saturday from the SPCA.

The Suffolk SPCA seized the horses from a Central Islip barn last month. They were suffering from severe, long-term neglect, were grossly underweight and had hoof infections and other maladies.

On Sunday at Indian Head Ranch in Huntington, where the horses known as the "C.I. Five" are recuperating, SPCA officials will present the youths with certificates and letters to their schools commending them for community service.

The horses' owner, Salvatore Gandolfo, 55, of Aquebogue is charged with five counts of torturing and injuring animals.

Gandolfo, who has pleaded not guilty, subsequently relinquished ownership of the horses to the SPCA. He is scheduled to appear in Suffolk District Court on Oct. 28.

The SPCA still is seeking donations to help fund the animals' care, the organization said.

HONORS FOR HORSE HELPERS
By Nia-Malika Henderson

October 19, 2008 — HONORS FOR HORSE HELPERS. A group of young people who are helping to nurse five neglected, starved horses back to health will be commended today by the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, officials said. About 20 young people have volunteered their time "to give the horses the care, love and affection" the animals need, according to a release yesterday from the SPCA. The Suffolk SPCA seized the horses from a Central Islip barn last month. They were grossly underweight and had hoof infections and other maladies. Today at Indian Head Ranch in Huntington, where the horses are recuperating, SPCA officials will present the youths with certificates and letters to their schools commending them. The horses' former owner, Salvatore Gandolfo, 55, of Aquebogue, is charged with five counts of torturing and injuring animals. He is scheduled to appear in Suffolk District Court on Oct. 28

Man charged in horse cruelty case gives up ownership

New York Newsday
By Laura Riviera

OCTOBER 9, 2008 — The Aquebogue man charged with torturing and injuring animals in the case of five emaciated horses has relinquished ownership of the horses, authorities said.

The horses are now owned by the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which seized them from a stable in Central Islip last month, saying they were "in danger of dying." The horses are recovering under the care of Wayne Dougal, owner of Indian Head Ranch in Huntington.

On Tuesday, Salvatore Gandolfo turned the horses over to the SPCA, which withdrew a request for Suffolk District Court to levy a $7,500 fee for the horses' care, prosecutors said.

"He is free and clear of the horses," said SPCA chief Roy Gross, who attended a hearing yesterday on the case. "He has nothing to do with them. He can't claim them back."

About 10 supporters of the horses also appeared in court, handing out ribbons for the horses, known as "the Central Islip five." Horse owner Carol Slack was so moved by the horses' plight that she decided to make orange ribbons to help raise funds for them.

Separately, a Huntington horse supply store is soliciting donated grooming kits, blankets and nutrition supplements for the rescued horses. Calling the operation "Keep the Five Alive," the owners of Boots, Bridles, and Britches on West Jericho Turnpike have partnered with the SPCA to collect funds to pay for the rehabilitation of the horses.

At Indian Head Ranch, vets have treated Teddy, Breezy, Everett, Misty and Belle, and farriers have trimmed and picked their hoofs, some of which were infected with maggots.

The horses, some of which Dougal said were about 300 pounds underweight when he first received them, have been eating hay and mash and drinking as many as six buckets of water a day. "They're real bright-eyed and eating like they were starved," Dougal said.

Gandolfo, 55, is charged with five counts of torturing and injuring animals and has pleaded not guilty. He is scheduled to appear in Suffolk District Court on Oct. 28.

Today's Court Preceeding Re: Sal Gandolfo

This dispatch from court was posted by "Showmom" on the liequine.com message board:

I was at today's court preceeding regarding Sal Gandolfo. Last night he signed a stipulation agreement reached between his attorney and the prosecutor to relinquish ownership to all 5 of the seized horses. In doing so he gets out of posting the $7500 bond the SCSPCA wanted to pay for their care but the SCSPCA is now the owner of these horses. The court set the date of October 29, 2008 for discovery on the still pending crimminal charges.
Today's hearing was attended by the 4 SCSPCA officers involved and about 10 of us as spectators. Both the officers and the prosecutor thanked us for attending and said how important it is to have the community support.

My personal note, I was surprised by the low turnout given the level of outrage expressed on this message board. I realize this is a work day but maybe give some thought to putting Oct 29th on your calendar. You don't need to block out the entire day, I arrived at the court house at 9:05 and was out at 9:45. Waiting on line for the security screening took the most time.

In speaking with the some of the other women who attended, we have decided to sell orange ribbons emblazened with "Save the C.I. 5" to raise money that will be donated to the SCSPCA for their care. We plan to have them for sale at tack shops, horse shows and barns throughout the island. You will get a ribbon for your $2 donation.

If you own a tack shop, barn, run a show, Please contact me to make arrangements. I am also looking for a printer(s) to donate the printing of the ribbon. I will be happy to put them together. I made about 50 ribbons and took them to court today, but was unable to write anything on them since markers run, so I need to have the message printed.)

There isn't really anything we can do about the crimminal case againt Sal except for demonstrating to the court that we care what happens by simply showing up. We can, however, have a direct impact on the continued care of these beautiful animals. Buy a ribbon, sell them at your place, help the SCSPCA.

P.S. Even the prosecutor took ribbons for her office!

Operation Keep the Five Alive

This bulletin just in from LIEquine.com:

BOOTS, BRIDLES, & BREECHES Ltd of Huntington is the official drop off point for all donations for Operation Keep the Five Alive.



Operation Keep the Five Alive is nursing back to health the 5 recently rescued horses. These horses were left in such horrible conditions that they need as much tender love and care as possible.



We are looking for volunteers who are willing to donate whatever they can to this cause.



We are in search for volunteers who will offer any veterinary care, farrier services or any other equine services that you can provide. They will also accept donations of supplies such as bedding, hay and feed, etc. or financial support to sustain boarding fees.



If you want any more information on how to help or donate contact
BOOTS, BRIDLES, & BREECHES Ltd. located at
369 West Jericho Turnpike
Huntington, NY 11743
(631) 423-TACK
(8225)

Alleged horse abuser arrested

Aquebogue man jailed, five horses seized

This excerpt and mugshot are from an article in The [Riverhead] News Review (October 2, 2008) by reporter Michael White:

Citing prior traffic offenses and a history of failing to show up in court, the judge held Mr. Gandolfo on $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota's office.
...
One neighbor of the property in Central Islip told television news crews Sunday that the land reeked of manure -- and that the horses looked "skeletonized."

"It's terrible to say, but they looked like they just came out of a concentration camp," the woman added. "Hopefully, they'll get better."

Mr. Gandolfo faces up to two years behind bars if convicted, prosecutors said. His lawyer did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

The SCSPCA, which operates on donations and is not affiliated with the ASPCA in New York City, has filed a petition with the court for the defendant to post a security bond, which the SCSPCA can use to recoup the costs of housing and feeding the animals for at least 30 days. With care costing an estimated $50 per horse per day, the group is requesting that Mr. Gandolfo post $7,500 until the case is resolved.

Some pics

I visited the "Long Island Five," who are under the care of Wayne Dougal at his barn, Indian Head (affectionately known in these here parts as "Wayne's World").

I'm not a vet and am not involved with the case and therefore cannot comment on the exact condition of the five horses. Overall, they appeared to be emaciated, one thinner than the next, and badly in need of hoof care.

The group comprised of a bay stallion, paint gelding, bay mare, sorrel mare and sorrel mare pony.

The lighting conditions in the barn weren't great and I didn't want to disturb them after their ordeal. However, I wanted to post some of the pics so that the public can get a sense of what I saw and judge for themselves.

This is the bay mare, with the stallion looking on in the background. This view gives you a fair idea of her weight and condition of her hind legs and hooves.





Horsefolks will gasp when you tell them that this next photo is of a stallion... 'nuff said.



The stallion photo and this view of the hindend of the sorrel mare illustrates that point Wayne Dougal made in a news report, "You can count almost every bone in their body."

Notice in this photo and the next, that, before they were seized, someone made a last-minute attempt to clean up the horses and make them presentable. The stallion's and mares' manes were trimmed and the paint is sporting a fresh bridle path.

Too bad no one trimmed the paint's hooves, which were several inches long. The stallion's hooves appeared in similar condition.



The close-up is of one of the paint gelding's front hooves. It's hard to appreciate the extent of the damage from this one photograph. Suffice it to say, the hoof is hollow and the frog has been eaten out (presumably by maggots). Before anyone notes that the shoe looks new, consider that your steel shoe would look pretty brand-spankin' new if you were standing knee-deep in your own manure for months.

I tried to get a good photo of the pony, but she was way too grateful for the attention and wouldn't stand still, plus she was more interested in checking out the camera than getting her picture taken. She is featured in the banner head of the blog (scroll all the way up).

"Fancy" horses for sale

The Gandolfo's web site at www.windymeadowhorsefarm.com has been taken down, but their YouTube Channel is still up, featuring horses that haven't been left languishing in a backyard barn. I've provided a screen cap in case they yank that down too.

Here's a "Fancy WB Hunter/EQ horse for sale:"



As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Gandolfo's aren't a bunch of ignorant hicks who bought some horses as pets or lawn ornaments and didn't know that they require daily care.

Nor are they ignoramuses that don't know that they are supposed to get permission to use copyrighted material, like music they didn't write and record themselves, when used for commercial purposes, like sale videos for horses.

Excuses, excuses...

According to Newsday, Sal Gandolfo pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges.

Gandolfo's wife is an established trainer on Long Island. In other words, the Gandolfos are not a bunch or ignorant hicks that have no idea how to take care of horses.

It will be interesting to learn what kinds of excuses they come up with to explain the condition of the horses. Here's one -- WNBC carried the story (link) which included this quote from Gandolfo's wife Veronica:

"We had people caring for them. He was caring for them. Every time we went in and we put hay, it was stolen -- we have the receipts."

Got that? EVERY TIME they went to feed the horses, the food was stollen!

That doesn't account for the condition of the horses' hooves -- or maybe they have receipts for that too.

And lookie, here's another excuse brought to you by WCBS (link), this time from the Gandolfo's son:

"My dad rescued him from another place, so we were trying to feed them."

Veronica added:

"Every time we went to feed and we put hay, it was stolen -- I have the receipts.

So, we're supposed to believe that the Gandolfos, who have amassed a long list of disgruntled vendors and clientele from one end of the Island to the other, have all the sudden gone into the business of rescuing horses? And that they kept feeding the horses, who just stood around waiting for the food to get stolen??

The Suffolk County SPCA wasn't born yesterday, and you can bet that they've documented this case carefully.

Here's a link to the WABC report.

Local print coverage

On Sunday, September 28, five horses were seized due to mistreatment.

Here are the local headlines:

Associated Press, via amNY, neglected horses seized in raid at NY stable

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. - Animal welfare detectives say they've seized five neglected horses in a raid at a Long Island home with a stable out back.

The Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the horses taken from the Central Islip (EYE'-slip) property on Sunday morning were in danger of dying.

A veterinarian says they were severely neglected and required emergency medical care.

SPCA officers say they've arrested a man in connection to the case and charged him with five counts of animal cruelty.

The horses are being cared for. If they can be stabilized they'll be placed in foster care pending the outcome of the case.


Newsday, Charges of animal cruelty

Five maltreated horses were rescued from a Central Islip property yesterday morning and their owner was arrested, the Suffolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.

Detectives and humane officers from the agency's Emergency Animal Response Team executed a search warrant about 10 a.m. yesterday at 88 Hawthorne Ave. in Central Islip, said Suffolk SPCA Chief Roy Gross.

It was part of an ongoing investigation into the treatment of the five horses, Gross said.

The owner of the horses, Salvatore Gandolfo, of 41 Maplewood Lane, Aquebogue, was arrested at the scene. Charged with five counts of animal cruelty, he is expected to be arraigned today, Gross said.

Gandolfo was housing the horses at stables on the Central Islip property, Gross said.

Gross would not elaborate on the condition of the horses or how they were mistreated, except that they were in danger of dying. "They're going to need medical attention," he said.

Richard Root, 62, who rents a room in a boardinghouse on the Central Islip property, said he didn't see any signs of the horses being mistreated.

A woman who identified herself as Gandolfo's wife declined to comment last night.



Newsday, Horses in injury case recovering as owner is arraigned

Five sickly horses found grossly underweight, some with maggots embedded in their heels, were recovering yesterday at a Huntington stable as their owner faced animal cruelty charges for what officials called severe and long-term neglect.

[CORRECTION: Workers at the Indian Head Ranch in Huntington are caring for five sickly horses that were rescued from a stable in Central Islip. A caption yesterday incorrectly described the role of the ranch. Also, the man accused of injuring the animals, Salvatore Gandolfo, is not affiliated with the ranch. Pg. A17 ALL 10/1/08] Salvatore Gandolfo, 55, of Aquebogue, pleaded not guilty to five counts of injuring animals at his arraignment yesterday at First District Court in Central Islip.

Judge Paul Hensley set bail at $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond, citing Gandolfo's failure to appear in court this year for misdemeanor traffic charges.

Defense lawyer Jason Bassett of Central Islip later said his client planned to post bail today. "Mr. Gandolfo is a well-respected member of the equestrian community," Bassett said. "He absolutely denies that these animals were ever harmed in any way by him either by negligence or any intentional act."

In court, Suffolk SPCA lawyer Herbert Kellner applied for a hearing to determine whether Gandolfo should pay a $7,500 fee to care for the horses at the Huntington stable.

Gandolfo, of 41 Maplewood Lane, told the judge that he had gotten a veterinarian to check the horses, which were seized from a stable at 88 Hawthorne Ave. in Central Islip Sunday after SPCA officials executed a search warrant.

But at Huntington's Indian Head Ranch, whose owner, Wayne Dougal, took in the ailing horses, they appeared emaciated.

Belle, an Arabian mare, was about 300 pounds underweight, Dougal said. A beige stallion and Teddy, a paint gelding, had maggots in their heels before ranch employees soaked them in diluted bleach, he said.

"The only thing these horses could count on was each other," Dougal said. "These horses should've been taken care of much better than this, because he's in the business."

Gandolfo is listed as a contact on the Web site of Windy Meadow Horse Farm in Calverton, which offers riding lessons and sells horses.

Mitch Prawki, 52, whose Adams Road home is less than 100 yards from the Central Islip stable, said he first complained to Islip Town officials about the conditions at the stables in 2002. "The manure is piling up by the backyard," Prawki said. "Seeing those horses the way they were, something had to be done."

The misdemeanor animal cruelty charges carry a maximum penalty of up to 1 year in prison and a $1,000 fine. Gandolfo is due back in Suffolk District Court on Oct. 8.



Newsday, Horse owner pleads not guilty to abuse charges

The owner of five maltreated horses rescued from a property Sunday in Central Islip pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of animal cruelty in Suffolk District Court, not far from where the horses were seized.

Appearing without a lawyer Salvatore Gandolfo, 55, of Aquebogue, pleaded not guilty before Judge Paul M. Hensley. The judge set bail at $10,000 cash, $20,000 bond, citing Gandolfo's previous failure to appear in court for traffic violations.

Gandolfo, of 41 Maplewood Lane, had been charged with five counts of animal cruelty after detectives and humane officers from the Suffolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' Emergency Animal Response Team executed a search warrant Sunday morning at 88 Hawthorne Ave. in Central Islip.

There, authorities seized the five horses. Suffolk SPCA chief Roy Gross did not say how the horses had been mistreated, but said they were in danger of dying.

Gandolfo told the judge he is employed and had gotten a veterinarian to check the horses.

A lawyer for Suffolk SPCA, Herbert Kellner, applied for a bond hearing in court Monday that would require Gandolfo to pay for the horses' veterinary care, feeding and housing.

"The case is a bad case of animal abuse, of animal cruelty and neglect," Kellner said Monday outside the courtroom. "Obviously, the horses are in bad enough condition that they needed to be seized by our agency."

Gandolfo is due back in court on Oct. 8.