Prosecuting Horse Abuse Case

I own an operate a small Arabian breeding farm in Hayes, VA, which I have had for almost thirty  years now. I specialize in Arabains and Half Arabs, but my heart is in Al Khamsa preservation breeding lines. Less than 3% of registered Arabians are one of these lines, and they date back to the  Bedouin breeding lines. These are the Arabs that were bred for their sweet temperament, their sound conformation, and their intelligence. You can find out more about this breed here: http://www.alkhamsa.org/

Times being as they are, last winter I was trying to sell some of my horses, but anyone who came to look wanted to pay a fraction of what they're worth, or were simply "tire kickers" and I was getting worried that I wouldn't be able to care for them (several financial hardships hit at once, and the horses were the only thing of sale value I had at the time, and no other income). Finally, a woman reached out to me named Rhiannan Peterson. Another Al Khamsa breeder recommended her, and she was interested in breeding leases on several of my mares.  Foolishly, I believed in the best of people, and I am not Google savy enough to really search on people or businesses, but I couldn't find anything bad about her. She very kindly picked up the mares (seven mares total) with the understanding that she would keep them on her property in Charles City, VA (a 2 hour drive for me from Hayes) and care for them (feed, board, farrier, vet) in exchange for any foals that the mares had while at her farm. I went to the property to drop them off with her, and there were numerous horses there - all looking well taken care of. I thought this was the perfect fit for my mares - their bloodlines would continue, and I would have several months to get back on my feet with the new job I was starting. 

At first, everything was fine. I received picture updates, phone calls, and text messages whenever I asked about how they were doing, and I was able to go up and see them. Then slowly the pictures stopped, or were resent instead of new ones taken. She was too busy to entertain visitors and didn't want people at the farm by themselves. Text messages stopped. Phone calls went unanswered. I didn't want to think anything bad because I know how much it takes to care for so many horses, and she was a large breeding/boarding/training farm. Maybe she really was too busy. 

And then another trainer from the area recommended I go and check on my horses, because she'd heard that Rhiannan had a habit of letting her horses get thin in winter. 

I went up, unannounced, and I wanted to cry. My poor girls, all but two of which were several months into pregnancies from stallions who were just allowed to run loose with them in a herd of 30 or more, were body scores of 2's and 3's. I could count their ribs. Their spines stuck out and their flanks sunk in. They were filthy and matted and covered in rain rot with open sores and feet untrimmed. There wasn't a blade of grass in that field, or a shred of hay. I took four home over the course of two nights and paid for transport both times - when I went to get the last two, I was turned away and was threatened with the police being called  if I came to the property again. Three of my mares were missing from the herd, on another property that was never discussed or given a location for, and within the week, all 40 horses were seized from the property along with 15 dogs by Animal Control after I called them. My two mares that were there were returned to me after I proved ownership after several weeks. 

I am still missing one mare, which she refuses to return to me because she is claiming that the breeding lease has not been fulfilled - and that while the mare, HMT Sarah Sharafa HAD been pregnant, she lost the foal (for which she could provide no evidence, and had to be ordered to tell the judge that Sarah was alive at all). Turns out Rhiannan Peterson is actually Rhiannan Vitiello - a multiple time offender for animal abuse charges who lost her Jockey Club membership over her treatment of her thoroughbreds - one of which died on the track. She signed the lease with her fake name (and you would think that would null any agreement I had with her since that's fraud, but so far the judge has been finding in her favor). All of the links below are about her multiple crimes and charges. 

I am in court, on my own, and losing. Badly. I cannot afford a lawyer on my own, and she can - and she is not only refusing to return to my mare, but she is suing me for the foals the mares had while in MY care - which means I paid for the vet calls, the feed, the hay, EVERYTHING that she was supposed to do - and that includes getting them back to a healthy enough weight to even have the foals. I don't want her to have my babies, or any other animal. I am a wreck, and I have been trying to raise funds by selling some of my other horses - drastically reduced from what they're worth, but no takers yet to raise the funds for the ONE lawyer who is willing to take this case for me, but at a $5000 retainer fee.  When she finally admitted that Sarah was alive and said what farm she was at, I attempted to see her - and was arrested for trespassing. 

Please, please help me keep this woman from getting her hands on ANY other animal. I can show you pictures of what the horses looked like when I got them, versus now. I have proof of the care I have given them. I am even willing to let her keep Sarah for the remainder of the breeding lease (which is only until she has a live foal, and it is weaned - she is said to be pregnant now) as long as I can go and see her wherever she is, and know that she is being taken care of. I am even setting up a paypal account so that people can donate without having to worry about the fees taken out for the crowdfunding sites - you can send donations of any denomination to [email redacted].  If you need to know ANYTHING about me, these horses, or what's gone on, please contact me via phone at [phone redacted].  I will be grateful for anything that people are willing to help with - you can find me in Facebook with my name, or at my farm's website (where maybe if you don't want to donate, but know someone in the market for a good horse - check out the sales page?) at http://malajacresarabians.wixsite.com/malaj

I just know that I cannot let this woman have my mare - or any other animal. Obviously, she's done this before, and because her court date for convicting her on this charge isn't until November, I can't even use it as evidence in my case for ownership/possesion of the mare or foals, because she hasn't been convicted yet. 

And now the  Animal Control Officer is being charged with corruption and for his own  animanl abuse charges. 

http://wric.com/2016/09/21/nottoway-county-animal-control-officer-charged-with-torturing-animals-to-death/



http://nkccnews.com/local-news/2012/10/03/charles-city-woman-found-guilty-in-animal-cruelty-case/
http://www.paulickreport.com/tag/rhiannon-vitiello/

This is the case involving my horses:
http://tribuneredesign.azurewebsites.net/2016/02/28/robin-vince-nottoway-animal-abuse-allegations/

http://wtvr.com/2016/07/07/nottoway-animal-cruelty-case/







Thank you, from the very bottom of my heart.