Animal Feed Recalled After Horses Die In Davie
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) — Horses are sick and dying at a Davie Equestrian Center.
And the owners say it's because of something they ate.
Three horses have died and 19 are sick, according to the operators of Masterpiece Equestrian Center.
The owners say the horses ate feed from Lakeland Animal Nutrition that contained an antibiotic called Monensin.
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Monensin is fine for cattle and poultry but is dangerous for horses.
Researchers say it can cause heart failure and muscle deterioration in horses.
"All 22 horses have tested positive for ingesting Monensin. It's like losing a family member before your eyes," says attorney Andrew Yaffa who represents the horse owners.
Among those fearing the worst are Debra Buis and her daughter Jamie.
Jamie boards her horse named 'Ultimatum' at Masterpiece and says he has eaten the tainted feed.
"He's like a family member, he's not a pet, he's family," says Jamie.
Christi Israel, who sold Ultimatum to Jamie, is also devastated at the prospect of losing him.
"He's loved all over the country. People are sending condolences from everywhere," said Israel.
Jamie has been training to become an Olympic equestrian contender and her hopes have been trampled with the sudden illness.
Danica Pryce, a trainer at the center, lost a horse named Rudy.
She says it was a painful death.
"They can't tell you what's wrong. It's a guessing game," she said tearfully.
Lakeland Animal Nutrition released a statement on Monday regarding the issue.
We are very saddened by the sicknesses and deaths of the horses at Masterpiece Equestrian in Davie, Florida, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the owners and everyone involved.
There have been a number of inaccurate reports circulating. Please rest assured that Lakeland Animal Nutrition takes this situation very seriously. We have been cooperating with all of the authorities investigating the matter, and we have been in communication with representatives of Masterpiece Equestrian. An internal investigation is also underway.
Our thoughts are with the Masterpiece Equestrian family, and, although their horses could never be replaced, we are committed to doing all we can to bring comfort to them in their suffering.
After doing studies on the feed, the company confirmed the owners' suspicion. The food did contain monensin, an antibiotic too powerful for horses.
The outlook for the horses at The Masterpiece Equestrian Center is not promising, the owners say.
Besides halting the sale of the products, Lakeland also issued a recall on Friday.
Here is a list released by the company.
- Signature Status Pellet (Lot Number 14-251) - Manufacture Date: September 8
- Signature Equilete Pellet (Lot Number 14-259) - Manufacture Date: September 16
- Signature Status Pellet (Lot Number 14-280) - Manufacture Date: October 7
- LAN 10 Pellet (Lot Number 14-281) - Manufacture Date: October 8
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