I am thoroughly confused on how they haven’t been shut down yet…
Somebody in some enforcement position has to dig in and make a case. Then they have to work it through the system.
Ironically, there is SO MUCH MATERIAL on HCHR that it is 200% of a full-time job to gather and assemble it - even to pick which to prioritize. They are fairly oblivious to the incriminating nature of much of what they post in public, in addition to being astonishingly short-sighted about major and minor decisions.
But, here is a start … no real investigation, but the channel 10 has some pictures with a lot of derelict conditions showing. What’s important is that both are negative pieces, even if nothing truly terrible is documented. The bits don’t have real documentation, just interviews and comments. But the negative aspect is what will resonate with viewers.
Channel 10
https://www.10news.com/news/team-10/…n-diego-county
Channel 8 - mostly some really cute video of treaty horse faces, not selling the “abuse” part of the story
https://www.facebook.com/News8/video…c_location=ufi
By the way, the numbers of euthanized horses are greater than what is admitted in these news stories by 100% or more, based on those who watch closely and get info from inside the ranch. HCHR euth’d close to 100 last year alone - might be more. Most never seen by a vet.
Apparently HCHR has now made a remark buried in one of their 1 1/2 hour video monologues “why should we fix fences when we may not get permits”. Well why bring home so many horses when they may not get a permit?
1 Like
BTW: California has one of the toughest anti-slaughter horse laws in the country. Not only is slaughter illegal in the state, it is also illegal to sell OR transport over state lines to supply the horse slaughter supply chain. A few years ago one CA dealer was sending horses to a killbuyer in New Mexico, and the state of CA stepped in on that.
The CA dealer that was the object of that state action is the one that HCHR deals with the most.
1 Like
It has been reported with a firsthand account by a volunteer that there is active Strangles on the property.
Also, the crooked legged foal, Umbra, is dead.
1 Like
Post by prior volunteer on SoCal horse/tack swap has been removed.
Where do they dispose of all those bodies? We pay at least $250 per horse to dispose of the carcass at the dump.
I’m sorry [not really] but the board members who say they never saw the documents wrt financials… that is your job as a board member. IT is on you to insure that you DO see those.
And the Vet… shaking head… Come on, grow a pair.
That is beyond horrifying.
A vet tech said that the amount of ace Michelle injected in the dog, 7mg, is over twice the recommended max of 3mg. And actually it is recommended not to be administered to pregnant dogs at all. Dunno, not a tech or a vet myself. HC had the dog 3 weeks, knowing it was pregnant.
“Michelle moved up to the barn and quickly got annoyed with the constant howling and remarked “If the dog was mine I would just shoot it”.”
…
“She claimed she gave a dosage that was just slow acting and she would be out for 12 hours.”
Who puts a talky husky (normal for them, I understand) out for 12 hours just to quiet them? So much for ‘rescue’.
Well well well.
So turns out Tuesday was mighty interesting. HC showed up, with a trailer, but said they couldn’t fund raise. What makes that interesting, you ask? Because 2 legit rescues, A Little Rescue and Love This Horse did show up, and between the two of them got all of the 7 horses, despite the flippers (like Salvador, M’s BFF horse tripper buddy) bidding them up.
And not so ironically, one of the mares who A Little Rescue pulled happens to be super bagged up, as if she’s just had a foal pulled off her. It’s likely speculation at this point, but the folks from A Little Rescue were told that the seller of the mare was the same guy who “gave” the new “orphan foal” that HC has (you, know, to replace poor little Umbra and make their stupid village followers forget her with a shiny new distraction) is the same guy. How very interesting.
A Little Rescue already reached out to HC to try and network the foal situation, but unsurprisingly, HC said no.
And then there’s this… https://inewsource.org/2018/03/15/hicaliber-funds-knuttila-district-attorney/
18 months of Paypal transactions. And it looks awful personal. Shades of AC4$ allllll over again.
And not to forget CBER, LOL.
2 Likes
LOL. I keep telling people I know it’s like CBER and AC4$ had a dirty affair that resulted in HiKill.
4 Likes
I’m not a psychiatrist, nor do I play one on TV, but her behavior sounds like it’s escalating in a creepy, going off the deep end, way.
1 Like
Wow, that blog post documents that even though the Attorney General has forbidden HiCaliber to do any more rescue business until their paperwork is in order, they were at the auction, did deal with dealers, and did go home with horses in their trailer. Horses they have not told their “village” about.
This Tuesday, their first auction since the one in the post above, they said they aren’t even allowed to network for private buyers, as they claimed to be trying to do last week. But she was there at auction anyway! And brought her horse trailer! Wonder if the trailer went home empty, or … :o
I think HiCal was banned from fundraising. I don’t think that extends to just bringing more horses in, however they got them. But I agree with Shedrow et al, why oh why does Michelle feel the need to keep gathering more horses? The place is a mess by all accounts. And her apparent “joy” in killing just makes my hair stand on end.
1 Like
This lady is just sick. I cannot believe that it has taken this long to get her butt handed to her.
2 Likes
Oh things are a long way from that having been done. Hopefully that will be happening in a much larger way, but doesn’t look as if it will be right away.
She is definitely addicted to that auction like a fish to water. She has been there every week regardless, and now that funds are no longer available from the rescue, she’s wheeling and dealing in her own name.
It is possible the IRS freeze on the fundraising will be lifted at some point. Supposedly the paperwork is submitted and being reviewed. But there may be more hoops still to jump … however, there is a good chance the money part of the rescue will be back in business at some point.
Then it is about waiting on the California Attorney General to move forward on the fraud. And the other agencies to move forward with their various investigations.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, their experienced volunteers are being driven out in droves. The facility is crumbling, the operations are a mess, but still they have in the neighborhood of 190 horses in residence. Volunteers are pushing hard to speed up the adoption process for as many horses as possible, but You-Know-Who is being obstructionist about it.
Drama every week …
As long as the clueless internet fan of ladies continue to throw money at HC it will never stop. I also do not think there will be any repercussions for what HC is doing or has done. Perhaps a slap on the wrist, but I doubt even that and HC will continue to rake in the money. The business disguised as a rescue will continue and the horses will pay the price.
1 Like
If the organization takes in money while they are not a 501c3 in good standing/able to take tax deductible donations, it’s income, correct?
And as such needs to be reported on a personal or business tax return, wouldn’t it?
And then, an audit or other could occur…
I just wonder if losing that 501c3/tax deductible ability to take donations could create more scrutiny of the funds they take in and spend?
There seems to be a virtual compulsion to continue to find ways to bring in funds, regardless. For 4 weeks they were supposed to be sidelined, but more horses came back to HC from auction every week as ‘private purchases’. Plus some fancy dancing around incoming money, which also did flow. Hole digging is getting deeper and deeper.
The Attorney General just restored them to normal active status. Fundraising is on again, business as usual.
Those who understand these things say the AG’s lock on the cash account and the ban on fundraising was a strategy to force them to complete and submit the IRS 990 form for 2016. NOW there is something to audit.
By the way 501c3 financials are publicly accessible. Here are HiCaliber’s just submitted 990 for 2016. The report fundraising over $1 million dollars, with expenses of $990k. So after a $1 million fundraising year, they had $10k left over for going forward.
2016 990 just filed
https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/020…m71lXITYrCHi7w
Comparison of expenses 2015 to 2016
https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Exp…Pp0kEJDz7iWMcg
Per their 990 financials
Horse purchases up 319%
Cost of removal up 232% (removal of dead horses, those euthanized or died of other causes)
Cost of hay up only 17%
Horse stats reported on their FB page which I am unable to link
2016 Horses “saved” 443
2016 Horses “served” 518
2016 “Placed in forever homes or sanctuaries” 230
The mills grind slowly. We can only hope the various agencies will move into action before things become dire for the horses. Although with the fundraising amounts they claim the place should be a model of order and efficiency, the best dang rescue on earth. It is far, far from that, and where the fundraising goes is a puzzle. The horses are bearing the brunt of the drama.
Oh and, 2017 990’s are due in May. But if they aren’t ready of course they could file an extension.
