DuPage County Forest Preserve trying to determine if horses end up at slaughterhouse
DuPage County Forest Preserve officials still are trying to determine the fate of two older horses the district sold during an auction in March.
The search for the horses — Annie and Buddy — began last week after a group of residents expressed fear that both animals, which had spent much of their lives working at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago, were purchased by someone who sends horses to slaughterhouses.
Annie, 21, and Buddy, 27, were purchased for $950 by the same buyer during a March 18 draft horse auction in Topeka, Indiana.
Naperville resident Jane Muklewicz said it's “highly probable” that Annie and Buddy were purchased by a kill buyer because of their age, physical condition and differing breeds.
Forest preserve district spokeswoman Sue Olafson said officials want to make sure both animals are safe.
But after a week of looking, they haven't yet been able to locate the horses.
“There has been some chatter about where they are, but nothing has been confirmed,” Olafson said. The search is ongoing.
Forest preserve President Joseph Cantore has said he's committed to discovering what happened to the horses. What the district will do if it finds the horses hasn't been determined.
In the meantime, the district is expected to revise its horse adoption policy to ensure its former horses are properly cared for.
“Hopefully, that will circumvent and alleviate any future issues we have with the treatment of our horses and the adoptions of our horses and what happens to our ambassadors after they leave us,” Cantore said during Tuesday's commission meeting.
Two years ago, the district changed its horse adoption policy in response to concerns raised by volunteers from Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton. But those revisions only applied to horses from Danada — not Kline Creek. For decades, Kline Creek horses have been sold at auction once they reached a certain age.
An attorney for the district has said the district's policies were followed when Annie and Buddy were sold.
“They (commissioners) are looking at the overall policy for the entire district — not just site-specific,” Olafson said.