Alaska Equine Rescue currently has 3 horses in foster care for the State of Alaska in connection with 4 counts of cruelty against Lyle Antrich (DOB 5/30/52), age 50 and Mary Martin (DOB 7/30/53), age 49, of Nikiski and Clam Gulch.

Two of the horses are mature mares that were taken in emaciated condition on a hunting excursion in late August 2002, and became so weak that other hunters who saw them in the hunting area reported them to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Division of Law Enforcement, at Tustumena Lake in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. The horses were too weak to walk back out of the woods and were barged to safety and placed into protective custody with AER.

(Photo's of Cinnamon and Sassy - courtesy of the Alaska Equine Rescue)

The other horse in foster care is a yearling filly, who was kept tied on a short line in a 3-sided shed with a concrete floor for 4 to 5 months, unable to run and play, lie down, and in some instances unable to reach what little food or water was sporadically provided. Her foal sized halter was becoming so tight that her head was starting to change shape. She was turned over to AER in December 2002 when a caretaker for Antrich/Martin did not have the necessary resources to care for her.

A fourth horse, an aged mare, died on the Antrich/Martin property in September 2002, in emaciated condition. AER had repeatedly requested authorities to take her into protective custody. However, the authorities declined to do so and the old mare was left with Antrich/Martin, tied with no shelter to the outside of a corral, with little or no food or water, until she could not stand up any longer. We learned after-the-fact that the old mare went down and finally died after brutal attempts by Antrich/Martin to raise her failed. It was a very ugly ending.

The Antrich/Martin case was scheduled for trial call in November and trial in December. However, there have been several delays and we anticipate further postponements.

Update 11/22/02:  The Kenai District Attorney's office decided Thursday to not reverse its decision ordering the return of two horses by Alaska Equine Rescue to their rightful owners.

The horses were reportedly found in a weak and emaciated condition by Alaska Department of Fish and Game officers Sept. 3, near Tustumena Lake.

The animals were placed in foster care through the equine rescue group, which insisted that the horses' owners -- Lyle Antrich and Mary Martin -- be charged with cruelty to animals.

The District Attorney, however, disagreed.

"In good conscience, I could not prosecute," said Scott Leaders, assistant district attorney, Thursday.

"Certain standards are required and these were not met," he said.

Leaders explained that to be considered guilty of animal cruelty, the person charged must knowingly inflict physical pain or prolonged suffering on the animal.

"There was insufficient evidence to hold Antrich and Martin criminally culpable," he said.

In a letter to Leaders, Sally Clampitt, president of Alaska Equine Rescue, alleged that the condition of the horses, Cinnamon and Sassy, worsened during the time Antrich and Martin owned them.

Clampitt's letter also stated that the horses "bodies were covered with open sores on bony prominences, that is, there was no fat or muscle covering their back bones and other bones, and the equipment they carried left large oozing sores from rubbing directly on the bones."

Clampitt did state, however, that if Leaders was unwilling to change his decision, the group would comply with instructions to return the animals to Antrich and Martin Monday after a veterinarian examined them completely.

Leaders said, "Nov. 25 is a reasonable date."

He also said he agreed that it would be preferable to have equine rescue return the horses to the owners rather than have the owners retrieve them from the foster care givers who had been caring for the horses since September.

"These are volunteer care givers and I believe it is important to guard their identity," Leaders said.

He added that the owners, though anxious for the return of their animals, had been "very cooperative through this whole thing" and accepted the terms of the return.

Update - Upon researching court documents:  Martin and Antrich married - records show that Lyle Gene Antrich and Mary Ruth Martin Antrich are no strangers to the courts:

on 1/3/05 he was charged with a misdemeanor for taking illegal moose, illegal possession of moose meat and violating a condition of release - case #3KN-05-00032CR

on 11/4/04 the couple were in court for domestic violence - case #3KN-04-00880CI

on 4/15/03 the couple were charged with a misdemeanor on 4 counts of animal cruelty - - pled guilty to one count - the 3 other counts were dismissed - case #3KN-03-00729CR & #3KN-03-00730CR

on 2/3/98 he was charged with a misdemeanor in Homer, AK for illegal possession of game, taking a moose out of season - he plead no contest - case #3HO-98-00048CR

on 9/21/89 he was charged with a misdemeanor for wanton waste of game - he was found guilty on 3/7/90 - case #3SW-89-00483CR

on 8/27/87 he was charged with a misdemeanor for fishing without a license - he pled no contest on 10/23/87 - case #3KO-87-00589CR

Reference:

Anchorage Daily News

Alaska Equine Rescue

Kenai Peninsula Clarion