During the next seven months, a longtime nonprofit horse rescue facility in Gilbert will make a decision: Whether to stay in Maricopa County or move to Yavapai County.
In a letter written Dec. 7, the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department informed the operators of Wildhorse Ranch Rescue they would need to receive a special use permit to comply with zoning requirements for buildings added to the property since opening in 1995 - or scale back operations.
After Wildhorse Ranch officials met with county officials on Jan. 4, the rescue facility agreed to start taking steps toward a compliance agreement offered by the county. The facility has until the end of this week to enter into the compliance agreement or close by July 15.
Wildhorse Ranch Rescue, 11811 S. Lindsay Road between Elliot and Warner roads, was founded in 1995 and currently houses 14 horses and has about 30 cats on its 1.2-acre property, said Kim Meagher, founder and chairman of the ranch's board of directors. Wildhorse Ranch takes in aging and neglected horses and has about 60 volunteers. It also shelters retired government horses from the National Forest Service and rescues Grand Canyon hiking dogs from the Havasupai Indian Nation for its HavasuPup program that places them in homes.
"We're not going to let them shut us down," Meagher said. "It's basically down to money now. We're deciding whether we want to raise the money and stay here, or raise the money for a facility in Yavapai County. We think we provide a pretty good service for Maricopa County that they don't do. The county doesn't rescue horses. We've been doing this for 15 years. We ought to send the county a bill. We're not a public riding or boarding facility. We do fundraising, and the county considers that a commercial activity. We bring in $120,000 a year to the county and spend it all right here."
However, in its letter to Wildhorse Ranch, the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department told the horse rescue that it fell under the category of a public riding and boarding commercial facility and would have to apply for a special use permit. Part of that process includes fulfilling requirements of various county departments - an estimated $20,000 to $50,000 cost. A complaint had been filed against Wildhorse Ranch, triggering a follow-up investigation into the facility, according to information from Maricopa County.
Darren Gerard, deputy director for the county planning and development department, told the Tribune on Tuesday that the ranch has nine horses too many and has two options to continue operating: Scale back operations or obtain the special use permit so it can have proper zoning entitlement for the buildings the facility has added in the time the ranch has been in operation.
"That's the meat and potatoes of their violation," Gerard said. "There have been no construction or building permits taken out on the property for various sheds or storage buildings that have been added to the property. There's an old house on the property that pre-dates the county's requirements for building permits. We've offered them a compliance agreement, and we're hoping to be able to work with them."
Wildhorse Ranch is facing a $5,600 application fee for the special use permit and has paid a $250 pre-application fee.
In the months ahead, Wildhorse Ranch will have to meet with eight county departments including the health department, the water and sewer department and drainage department as well as transportation to make sure there's a turn lane on South Lindsay Road in front of the ranch so motorists can safely turn into the facility. The rescue facility also will have to pay for an engineering report to be done on what is needed for the property, an estimated $12,000, which likely would be the bulk of the costs involved with knowing what it will take to come into compliance for a special use permit.
"We really don't know what they're going to make us do," Meagher said.
Since Wildhorse Ranch is a non-profit organization overseen by volunteers, it relies heavily on donations it receives from throughout the U.S. and even out of the country.
"We need help, that's for sure," Meagher said. "We don't plan to stop rescuing animals."
FormerWHRRVolunteer posted at 10:45 pm on Fri, Jan 21, 2011.
It's true the cats are not running loose...well not all of them. They are in 2 enclosures that are about 8'X4' constructed of chicken wire and wood. This organization is basically run to pay for the founder's (and a few dedicated supporters) pets. 1.2 acres is the size of the property, the horses don't even have that much room to run around, they are isolated to about 1/2 the property.
If you are going to rescue animals, you need to have an exit strategy for rehabilitating and getting them adopted.
WHRR has NO plan to rehabilitate and adopt out the young horses they take in. These horses could have a future beyond going to their broken down facility to die.
They have older horses on the property that are clearly in pain and need to be euthanized. They try too hard to keep these animals alive because they are attached to them and can't make objective decisions.
The board contains only the founder's closest friends, who all just agree with her decisions without question. All the board members who tried to turn this rescue around have left long ago because they knew it wasn't ever going to change.
This is a case or animal hoarding and founder's syndrome, it needs to stop.
WHRRVolunteer posted at 9:03 pm on Fri, Jan 14, 2011.
This property is a county island. On county islands, the rule is you can have as many horses that you want if you own them. The founder of the ranch does not own the horses, the rescue organization does. Isn't that funny? The City of Gilbert's rule is you can have one horse for every 10,000 square feet of property. The rescue ranch are not hoarders, they turn thousands of horses away all the time because they know they can't take in any more right now. One of the reasons that they have so many right now, is that when the forest service retires a horse or mule, they take it to auction and instead the ranch said no let's give them a place to live out the rest of their lives instead of becoming meat because that is what would happen to them if they went to auction. Most of the animals they have can be adopted (there are a few with severe medical problems and cannot be adopted but can be fostered) but as of yet no one has adopted them so those of you that are saying bad things about the ranch why aren't you helping out by adopting them or helping raise money to maybe get a bigger place if they wanted to. Seems to me, if people took care of their animals the way they should instead of abusing them or taking them to auction because they can't afford them anymore should be the really bad people here. These animals have been giving to the human race (not just the ones at the ranch but all horses/mules) since the wild wild west.. Back in those days, people were hung for stealing horses and cattle but nowadays when someone even abuses an animal, they may get jail time or a fine and usually get their animals back. Those of you that are also saying move to a bigger place, that would be great but let's look at a couple of things. First, the property is where the founder's home is. Do you think it is easy to pack up and leave a place that you have lived at for over 15 years? Second, it is hard enough to get donations as it is and if they move to a different place or bigger place -- how hard to you think it will be to raise money then? At least here, they have supporters and volunteers to help them. They tried to buy the open property next to them (which was going to be a housing development), but the owners of that have refused to even consider a lease purchase option so they just let that land just sit there because they don't I guess have the money to build. Who wants to live that close to a railroad track (since it's right next to it) any way?It's perfect for the ranch though. Why don't they help the ranch by letting them lease purchase? The cats on the property are not just running loose either that's why the horses do have room and they are not "shoulder to shoulder". I have been to many boarding places (when I was looking for a place for my horse) and many of the places, the horses could barely turn around in their stalls but no one says anything about those people. The animals at the rescue ranch have a round pen and room to run and play at least and the stalls are not small. Another thing, do you know how many times the rescue ranch is called out to places where there are complaints and they deliver food and water to help those animals even if they can't take them in? This place is a wonderful organization and no matter what other people think, these people are angels.
AZMomma posted at 8:28 am on Fri, Jan 14, 2011.
Question is..is this a COUNTY Island (under Maricopa Co zoning) or is it a GILBERT area? and 16 horses are just too many (and inhumane) for 1.2 acres.
Back when this Rescue Ranch began, how many did they have? Under what zoning?
This story is written to maximize the emotions and prevent readers from facing some very real questions.
Move the %$# Ranch to another LARGER facility, and make sure the County zoning allows this amount of equine housing.
Jeez.....lets just all blame the County/Town for being the bad guys, and giving 'atta-boys' to the self-centered Hoarders screaming over this.
Poorman posted at 6:30 pm on Thu, Jan 13, 2011.
I wonder who the THEM really is that wants to shut this down and the real reason why.Its been there since 1995 or so,let them stay. We will probaly never know who or why wants it shut down. But you can bet it will have something with someone making money out of getting rid of the rescue ranch. What a shame.
AZMomma posted at 7:29 am on Thu, Jan 13, 2011.
Am sure they do 'good works' and need support from horse lovers. HOWEVER...1.2 acres and 14 horses?
Sounds more like Animal Hoarders to me and will someone PLEASE post the Gilbert Ordinance that permits that many animals (horses) per acre?
Come on people - reality check time ! Sounds like those critters are stepping over cats and lined up shoulder to shoulder.
Making them move to larger facility is a HUMANE decision.
Stop messing with the PC Horse crowd and close the facility down, forcing them to find homes for 12 horses or move to larger acreage elsewhere.
rrffcc1 posted at 12:02 pm on Wed, Jan 12, 2011.
So, Maricopa County - this function is ALREADY "privatized" and unfunded by the taxpayers. And now you want to squeeze even more.
An "application fee" to cover the government's costs involved in compliance with ordinances/laws/statutes? Just additional revenue is what it is. Getting fairly far out there with this particular concept, and it's considered by many to be a thinly disguised way of directing business to private individuals via the law-making process. Very seedy...
The horses: A tiny cross-section of the literally thousands suffering and dying around the state due to too little or no authority to regulate their wellbeing. No doubt SOMEONE will say it's perfectly appropriate to not regulate this while carrying the "smaller government" banner. Or, we'll just unfund the efforts anywhere the regs DO exist. So efficient. So bloody-minded.
Penalizing Wildhorse Ranch or any other such facility is wrong on many levels. They're doing a true public service entirely on private donations and there should be a recognition of that service and a waiver of the government-imposed fees - indeed, the agencies involved should be actively seeking ways to help.
We suffer almost daily discoveries of the ways our political structure unfairly benefits and enriches private interests. Why can't the good guys win one, for a change?
Mandria posted at 11:24 am on Wed, Jan 12, 2011.
This is such a shame. I have been involved and donating to Wildhorse Ranch Rescue for 10+ years and can attest to all their good work and intentions. It is too bad after 15 years, the county has decided they can't do this anymore. So many animals will lose out.