Dozens of horses that were seized after an animal cruelty investigation near Edmonton went up for auction on Saturday.
The horses were among the 65 who were seized in January from a rural property west of Edmonton, when 48-year-old Patricia Lynn Moore was charged with 63 counts of animal cruelty.
Thirty five horses were up for sale this weekend at VJV Auctioneers in Westlock, Alta.
Some owners who had previously owned the horses came to the auction to try to reunite with their former pets.
“My mare ended up with Trish Moore, and unfortunately I was unable to get in touch to get her back,” Miranda Srayko-Slifka said.
“It’s been about six years since I’ve seen her, so I’m a little emotional.”
There were various reasons that the horses were living with Moore. Srayko-Slifka said she had left her horse in the care of a friend, who then leased it to Moore.
Moore has a lengthy past involving animal abuse cases. In 2010, she was charged with causing an animal to be in distress and fined $1,500 after three horses were found dead on her property near Carrot Creek, Alta., and another 16 were seized.
She was also charged with animal neglect in 2012 for issues involving a dog breeding operation near Edson, Alta.
Srayko-Slifka said she was relieved to find her mare up for auction at the event.
“It’s been such a long process, and I don’t know what she went through other than being in a herd with tons of horses likely malnourished, likely starved at some point,” Srayko-Slifka said.
All 35 horses were purchased at Saturday’s auction.
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