Horse with EEE Euthanized in New York

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Eastern equine encephalitis has claimed its first victim in New York this year – a 2-year-old gelding in Oswego County, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

The horse, purchased earlier this year at a New York auction, was euthanized after it showed symptoms of EEE, a diagnosis that lab tests have now confirmed, the department said. EEE is a rare, but deadly virus that kills most infected horses and about a third of human victims. It leaves many survivors with permanent brain damage.

The virus, which can only be spread by mosquito bites, also has been found in mosquitoes in the four counties that border Oneida Lake – Oneida, Madison, Oswego and Onondaga, said Pete Constantakes, a spokesman for the state Department of Health. The mosquitoes infected with EEE in Oneida, Madison and Onondaga counties are a breed that generally bites birds, not horses or humans, Constantakes said.

But mammal-biting mosquitoes with EEE have been found in Oswego County, he said.

The gelding’s vaccination history was not known, but the current owner had not had it vaccinated for EEE, according to an Agriculture Department news release. None of the horses with which it lived have shown symptoms of EEE and all have since been vaccinated, the release said.

Two World Records Set at Tioga Downs

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A pair of world records were set Sunday at Tioga Downs racetrack.

The 5/8 mile track for harness racing was the site of the fastest time for any 3-year-old and also the fastest time for a 4-year-old stud horse on that size track.

Temple of Doom, driven by David Miller, won the sixth race with a time of 1 minute 52.4 seconds to eclipse the previous record for 3-year-olds of 1:53 set by three horses in the past two years. The winner paid $4.70.

Two races earlier, Manningly, driven by Jeff Gregory, won his race in 1:52.3, which is just 0.3 shy of the record for any 4-year-old horse.

"(Manningly's record) will hang on for a little while because most horses that age, if they were successful, would be in the breeding shed," Director of Racing Jason Blohm said. "It was the right conditions today for that to take place." Manningly paid $4.40 to win.

The records are kept by the U.S. Trotting Association.

Woman Gets Two Years Probation for Abandoning Animals

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A Denton County woman has drawn two years of probation after her conviction on seven counts of cruelty to animals in connection with having abandoned about a dozen horses and five dogs in 2009.

Kyra Jane Pointon, 37, was sentenced to a year behind bars on each count, to be served concurrently, along with seven $2,500 fines. However, that sentence was suspended to the probation and 80 hours of community service.

According to Denton County sheriff's reports, the case began in early June 2009. A man called to report that he passed property in the 12000 block of FM2450 every day and had noticed the horses and dogs there. A woman often could be seen handling the horses, he said, and there was hay for the horses to eat.

Recently, he said, he had not seen the woman or any vehicle around the property. There was no hay, and the horses looked highly malnourished.

A deputy went to the property and found that the house had no electricity or water. It appeared that someone had moved out of the house, according to reports.

The horses and German shepherds penned in the backyard had no food or water. Deputies found a small amount of muddy water in a container in a back pasture.

Animal Officer Kirk Sisney testified that he had talked to the woman several times about conditions on her property. She was wanted on several outstanding warrants for allowing the horses to escape and for improperly caring for them.

Sisney testified that a friend of Pointon agreed to feed and water the animals until he could get warrants to have them removed from the property. He eventually found Pointon at the friend's house, hiding in a closet.

According to court documents, a local veterinarian examined the horses and found one to be suffering from a severe hoof infection. That horse had been in pain for a long time, according to the reports. Most of the others were severely malnourished.

Because of her condition, one pregnant mare suffered a miscarriage after being seized, according to the documents. Another horse had cancer in several places.

The county placed the horses with a Justin man who cares for seized horses on contract. The dogs were taken to the Denton animal pound.

Sheriff's Capt. Mike Caley said Friday that he was unsure of the animals' current whereabouts, but that animals in such cases usually are placed for adoption.

He said he believed the sentence was justified because the woman had a history of neglecting her animals.

"She has a pretty lengthy track record," he said. "We would tell her she needed to do this and this, and she would agree, but it never got done."

You mean this has been going on for a long time and nothing was DONE? You know, I believe in second chances as much as the next guy but once you're on third, fourth, fifth, sixth chances it's time for something to HAPPEN because clearly whatever you were doing before wasn't working.