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Two Chicago police horses were injured late Sunday night after a vandal or vandals broke into their stables at the South Shore Cultural Center.
The horses, part of the Chicago Police’s Mounted Unit, were let out of their stables sometime between 9:45 p.m. and 11:15 p.m., said Lt. Paul Bauer. One of the horses, J.R., was apparently sprayed in the face with a fire extinguisher. A second horse, Schott, had a cut to its leg.
Twenty-seven of the nearly 30 horses were released from their stables and were found walking around the barn, which had tissue paper strewn about.
"At this point, it's all conjecture as to how they got in, but obviously there's people out there who would know who entered this stable, and they did not enter this to commit a theft, rather it appears they entered this to maliciously harm our horses. For what reason, I don't know," said Bauer.
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He declined to answer questions about security measures in place at the stables.
The Mounted Patrol dates back to 1974, with many of the horses named after fallen officers. Fourteen-year-old Schott was named after officer Richard R. Schott, who died in 1997 from a heart attack while struggling with a prisoner, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website.
J.R., 20, was not named after a fallen officer. He came to the department in 1999, but the naming convention didn't start until 2001, Bauer said.
"The horses were very agitated and fearful because of what they had just endured," he said. "The type of incident that happened last night upset a lot of people, including everybody that works here."
No animals were injured last week in a fire at a stables on the city's near north side that investigators deemed suspicious.
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Leave a Comment:
I hope when they are caught they get a lot of jail time.
Police horses are cared for with great care, and to just let them out was an act of not vandalism, but horrible animal cruelty.
It's pretty bad when the police can not even keep their own facilities secure. I hope they catch the a-holes responsible for this. Horses are very beautiful and loyal animals and these animals did nothing to deserve to be treated this way.
These are officers, and whoever did this is guilty of assaulting 27 police officers. Their status is just like that of dogs... only police dogs are trained to fight back. I doubt very much anyone who did something similar to a kennel of dogs would've gotten away... certainly not intact.
standup
so put the dog kennel across the barn from the horse stalls......problem solved.....of course its a simple solution that don't take a ton of money ( not to mention the Fraternal order of horses and the fraternal order of dog unions wouldn't get a kick back ) therefor it simply cannot be done.....................:)
At least they didn't make it out onto the street. Be far worse than a cut then.
Most K9 officers take their dogs home with them
Why would you need to have a super secure barn for horses? Who would expect some freaks to mess with horses? I'm sure it will be more secure in the future but honestly how would anybody know to expect an attack on horses? It's at the very least at the fringe of human behavior.
Agreed. I'd like to know the status of the investigation of the K-9 in Iowa who died after being left in the squad car by his partner on a hot day. There was an initial news report, then nothing.
Whether an act resulting in harm is done maliciously or negligently, there should be appropriate accountability for both.
The South Shore is on the southside of Chicago and I know it's predom. Black, which leads me to believe the culprits are black. This may cause the Chgo PD to move the horses to another neighborhood and safer quarters.
Even if you hate cops, the horses are innocent, and hurting them accomplishes nothing but malice.
I hope when they are put in jail, you get the bill for housing & feeding them. JAIL TIME is not always the right solution. Probation seems more appropriate. Besides, this incident seems like something teenagers would do as a prank.
Why is this news? The horses weren't killed, they were barely injured, and horses roaming around a barn is not and should not be a national news-worthy event.
Koatz- did you miss the part where they sprayed fire extinguishers IN the horse's faces? They could have blinded one of them. Additionally, horses can be spooked. This 'prank', or whatever it was, could have 'ruined' any of these horses from being able to be used in the future for police purposes.
Probation is not always the right answer either.
to bad one of the horses didn't kick their azz. I just got my azz handed to me by my horse. They are an awesome powerful animal.
Jail time would be a waste of taxpayer dollars, while probation is a slap on the wrist.
I'd like to see whoever did this be sentenced to clean stalls, feed and groom these horses for a year.
Was that Karen Lewis in the picture? My guess is that we'll find that CTU membership are the perps.
I could fix the pricks with 4 horses. Each horse gets a scum-bag's limb point each horse in a different direction and ready set GO!!!!!!!!!!!
Good enough for the Tower of London good enough for one of these douch-rockets.
Did anyone else notice how horses and their mounted policemen start to look alike after many years together?
Dirtbag people who intentionally harm animals are dangerous. If they can harm an animal they can harm a child or a defenseless older person. This kind of activity is the dirtbag trying to show his "superior" strength and control over another person or creature. More than 90% of serial killers start out by harming or killing animals, and then move on to doing the same thing to people.
Doubt that even registers with union protesters.
I hope whoever did this is caught and punished. It is a shame to harm poor animals like this. It seems as this is probing Chicago's LEE for weak spots, that might be leading to something even more evil. But...
Horses, police dogs and the like are NOT people; they are not cops; they are not entitled to the special legal protection law enforcement people have; they are like police cars, scooters, radios, motor cycles and things of that nature. They are tools of law enforcement.
I'm going to say I don't think it was black folks who did this regardless of where the horses are located. It was probably the same folks who did the previous thing the week before.
Oh yeah, bad vandals, letting the horses roam around in the barn, that is after they threww tissues all oveer the place. Because anyone that knows horses, knows that they get into everything! Typical police, they never do anything wrong or never make an error or mistake. Yeah, America welcome to your brave new world! All police and judges and public servants are so honest and trustworthy. That is why they hide behind laws written to protect them and why they can't be sued or even held accountable for their actions. And when they do get caught, then for them is was due to stress or some other silly excuse.
This is why all police need to wear microphones and have video as well as any person that is in a spot of trust. Why is it the pople that swear an oath to uphold the laws are the ones that are NOT held to a higher standard?
Before you know it, your home will not even be safe!!! After every election all these people laugh at us all and mock us as thier little sheep that are to stupid to know ant better.
Reminds me of a bumper sticker I once read. "Ignore your rights - They'll go away!" Think about, long and hard...........
known4:
Unless he was Mr. Ed, I don't believe the horse squirted himself in the face with the fire extinguisher.
I too believe there is plenty of valid reasons to rein in (no pun intended) dishonest law enforcement, government officials, politicians and corporations, but I don't believe a tall tail, err tale, was told here by officials.
tom343:
The day police cars, scooters, radios, motor cycles and things of that nature have the ability to breath, is the day I won't believe horses and police dogs should not be entitled to the special legal protections law enforcement people have.
It was the OWS group..........
I think Mr. Ed was the instigator here.
Known4 isn't particularly bright. Either that he's off his meds.
I do hope the animals will be okay, spooked horses can do a lot of damage to property, each other and people. Whoever the vandals were, got very lucky in that they weren't kicked or trampled. Though really they'd have deserved it.
The Officer in the video said the horses were lathered up and some were shaking. It takes a lot of running around and fright to make a horse do that. They also said extinguishers were thrown at them. Sprayed in the face, chased around, large objects (extinguishers) used as weapons thrown at them. Some seem to think it is no big deal but it is. Horses can be so traumatized they are unable to perform like they did before. These horses are highly trained to not be fearful of fast movements, loud noises, etc. These poor horses were traumatized to be sure. I say jail time. I wouldn't let them touch these wonderful creatures to groom, feed, scoop poop even, as their punishment. Wish I could kick 'em where it really hurts as part of their punishment.
The only possible way for somebody to have a chance of even being able to relate to the animal and the damage they did, would be to force them to work with that animal every day, supervised, of course. It's the only hope for redemption.
Simply jailing would do nothing but give them time to think about how they could do further and possibly greater damage. Maybe a combination of jail time AND taking care of the animals while incarcerated could reach them.
Disgusting to mess with animals in this way - they don't understand, it can ruin their training and they are totally captive during the situation. Just a point - when a local stable near me was vandalized, the horses weren't just sprayed and scared - they were sexually brutalized - the sort of thing that can get someone jail time in many states. I hope the PD get better security into those stables as soon as possible.
Debi, you may be right. The combination might work if these guys aren't hardened to the core like so many seem to be these days. My passion for horses comes from growing up being on one all day and from learning all I could about them. And I that passion takes over when I hear of such things. My hope would be that if their punishment does entail working with these beauties, they too, could learn that animals deserve respect and caring and so much more. They would learn, I hope, that people should be as kind as they can be to animals and humans alike. That is a lot to hope for them to learn that especially if they are hard wired. But maybe they would learn. Thank you Debi, for your well thought out directive. Much appreciated.
Thank you survivor1 for your kind words.
Animals don't have a voice and we need to be their voice.
Hey Debi you are so welcome. I, too, have been the voice for animals all my years. It's unbelievable the tortures so many of them endure. I have doctored, fostered(and kept many of those guys lol) worked with animal control officers, rescued-you get the picture. And I get the feeling you do the same. I dearly hope whoever did this to these horses, gets a punishment like you described. Many Blessings to you and to all who care about animals and humans alike.
These people need a major beating.
it was kids, ever heard of T.P....hence an ol fashion a$$ whoppin is out of the question, its now called child abuse.
Flog them anyway.
ah yes a good ol fashioned flogging.....sigh.....aww for the "good ol days"..................:)
No, kids who do this kind of stuff, or something that can harm another, a good butt smack works on MOST kids! It's not abuse! We need to go back to a normal spank on occasion, it worked on me, my brothers, my freinds and we are all fine! I hope they catch the creeps that did this and punish them accordingly!
Nah. Just $76,000, a 30% raise, more benefits, and no accountability.
In Singapore, they still use caneing for juvenile offenders. It might be worth thinking about here. A public embarrassment like public butt beating would be more of a deterent than a little bit of detention time.
Not necessarily. A 20 something American got caught vandalizing cars in Singapore and was sentenced to caneing. The embassy raised hell and Singapore told them they would get back to them right after the caneing. When they catch the union members responsible, this would be appropriate.
jeepgal66:
Why mete violence with violence? Wouldn't the better "lesson" be to require them to muck stalls, groom and feed their victims for a year?
A "butt smack" only lasts a few seconds and doesn't really teach anything; while a "lesson" lasts a lifetime.
Maybe the horses should get some police protection, seems like someone (Alan Strang?) is out to get them.
kinda late to be out on a school night, .....oh yeah i forgot......never-mind.......................
If your teachers we not on strike in Chicago the kids would not be out for a joy ride on your horses.
The teachers that are on strike in Chicago have turned into terrorists by holding the students hostage for ransom.
The kids are being taught that crime pays in Chicago.
Jeffrey, your opinion is noted. Perhaps you should take it up with Mayor Rahm?
However, the lil hoodlums probably wouldn't be going to school, even if it was in session - wonder who did all the drive by shootings in Chicago over the past few weeks? Wonder why no more shootings in Chicago have not been reported like they have been over the past year? Magical work of Rahm bullying the news agencies there?
The union is doing to Rahm, what Rahm thought he was doing to the teachers union - screwing him.
No doubt these were honor students bored for the night.
Find them and beat them senseless.
Oh give me a break. When people's voice is taken away to negotiate for their lively hoods and working conditions, is a sad time for our Free country. Parents are more upset about what in the heck to do with their offspring, when their babysitters aren't at their disposable, instead of their kids getting an education.
The real shame in this story is that this is a part of our country that is so out of control that people feel it isn't even safe to board horses there. It sounds like time to clean up that area. I suspect now that the cops horses were targeted, times will be a changing.
I wonder how these horses will react in the future in crowds. I hope they all recover well.
I also hope that who did this gets to spend the next year cleaning the stalls and caring for these animals basic care. I again would hope they would learn something about the animals they terrorized and form a positive bond to another breathing thing.
Sorry rjwoo7, but the truth is the time and place for unions was over long, long ago. What has happened is that unions are for the union leaders now, not for the workers. They have the workers so fooled into thinking this is all for them it's truly a shame. Working conditions in this country are not the sweat houses they used to be where people are working for pennies in unsanitary conditions and for 20 of 24 hours per day. The unions hold the business owners hostage to get a few cents per hour more - but what you lose when you strike you will never make up in your measley wage increase. And to get the record straight - no, I am not a business owner nor an executive in a business. Just someone who has their head on straight and can do the math. Obviously the parents are concerned about their children getting an education - and obviously the teachers who are striking AREN'T! If they were, they wouldn't be on strike!
The true tragedy in this story is the poor horses who were held hostage and injured by evil people with nothing but hatred in their hearts! I hope they are caught and duly punished and I hope the Chicago PD will do something to better secure and protect these beautiful creatures!
They were union even before the strike.
You mean like the people forced to pay the union demands with no voice in the matter?
more proof those Amish folks over in Ohio have just got to be stopped, this was no doubt a Chicago chapter of those Amish gang-bangers, ..they aren't too hard to spot ... they too wear their hats backwards , but ya gotta look REAL REAL hard to tell, then you will see the tag, also they wear really long suspenders so their pants drag, best round em up now before this gets way out of hand, its libel to escalate to cow tipping next, or (shutter) outhouse tipping. .................:)
IA Scooter
Gee the news is reporting Vandals, are they sure it wasn't the Huns or the Visigoths?
mornin jack
thought so myself at first, but the local news reported finding a buggy whip, kinda tipped me off, pretty stupid leaving that kinda evidence just lying around, bet the Chicago CSI hotties (and lets face it if TV has taught us but one thing.. its that all CSI gals could moonlight as supermodels ) and i am certain they are all over this.............:)
Mornin' Scooter
Perhaps those CSI hotties will do a calender posing with some of that evidence, along with enticing some of those Amish folks in to their stretch into adulthood Amish Wilding? Then send them back to the farm - with a huge smile on their faces and what goes on in Chicago, stays in their minds!
works in Vegas......
Not for Prince Harry, it didn't! I'll be there in October, sure hope I am stealthy enough to evade any and all cameras! LOL
hahaha how very true,,,, but face it I wanna see the pics first. .....for a purely informational purpose of course......cant just go around making false accusations ya know......................:)
great place to visit and good luck with that , cameras are everywhere around us, and there? times about a thousand.
Those Amish thugs are pretty easy to spot. The spinners on the buggy wheels give them away. I hope when they catch them that they are properly Miranda-ized ..... "Thou hast the right to remain silent. Thou hast the right to an attorney ......"
Maybe it was an attempted sex crime. Neigh means neigh.
No one saw a thing. Most likely the Invisigoths.
When they find the basturds responsible they should tie a rope to each arm and leg. Then use the horses to rip them apart. These little pricks need to be used to set an example. They get away with too much. Kill a few and they will settle right down.
yep they let them horses loose....lets kill em......get a rope ....yeeehaw its 1845 all over again.........:)
maybe a new chicago fire is necessary to fix the problem
NYC
legend has it it was a cow that started that....hey wait a minute.....does mooo-schel have an alibi?..........:)
The horses or the union thugs?
Scooter.........you are cracking me up today!
What is wrong with our society that we have have security for our security? Some in our society have fallen really low. Is it our permissive attitudes that allow such behavior or is it a thrill based mentality that finds satisfaction with offending authority? When the culprits are caught, the right punishment should be cleaning horse manure from the stalls for a year and a two year course in "respect".
Joe
Society has always been the problem because they "can't see any harm in pranks...", however, the correct punishment should be more stringent than cleaning horse stables. These "precious lil darlins" injured the horses with cuts on the legs of 1 and fire extinguisher fluid/gas/foam in the face of another horse.
Ya don't suppose there was a sadistic bustard or two in these "delightful children" doing their "pranks" ? Or was this acting out?
Our probation and community service punishments only work on those that have a moral clock of right vs wrong.
Joe,
lib thought train, never address the problems just point fingers.
and then got elected to one office or another.
yes.....you answered question 1 BTW
great idea but lets face it, it makes sense, so the court will deem it "cruel and unusual"......
anything else?..........................:)
Funny this happend after a tea-party meeting!
It also happened while the Chicago teachers are on strike...should we infer that they were somehow responsible, Since you mentioned it where exactly was the Tea Party Meeting?, Was is in Chicago or Illinois for that matter?
The articles also states that there was recently a fire set at one of the police stable at the north side, This appears to be the work of someone who has a problem with the mounted partol.
LostInThePineBarrens
Of course it doesn't matter... I did a Romney... a vague statement meant to enhance a unintelligible concept. Or maybe I "Misspoke".
You seem like such a natural.
nibor
How so TROLL?
"The teachers that are on strike in Chicago have turned into terrorists"... A ROMNEY from You!
Sounds more like you did an Obama or Biden, I am suprised you didn't implicate Bush in it.
Idle time...who knows, maybe it was the striking teachers not the unsupervised kids?
the teachers are union members, when was the last time you ever heard of, let alone ever see a union employee work a Sunday night without triple time pay? and since strike pay is only about a 100 bucks a week ....they have an alibi............................:)
This is disturbing to read. Why do people continue to be stupid morons that hurt innocent animals. I hope once they apprehend these punks, we treat them like the animals they are....worse yet, treat them like pond scum and flush them down the drain like a turd
Everyone is screaming bloody murder about this, and of course, construction projects are halted if a blind spider cave is found, yet the ones who scream loudest for animals and bugs, see no problem in in murdering yet to be born babies. Sounds like there is a huge problem with priorities.
Obama is going to be mad as heck when he reads this story..He was hoping the next time he was in town he could give those horses a little oral pleasure. He enjoys a little sausage now and then, and boy is he going to be upset when finds out his favorite horses won't be around for some barnyard loving....Looks like it will be him and Emanuel again just like old times...2 lovers swapping man sauce and spending quality time together bending the rest of the country over while they destroy this great Nation....
wow just gotta get collapsed today? or are you really that sick? ........seek help..........
Some folks like to let their feelings out or is it subconcious thoughts of where their real true desires lay.
good point jack......hey overunder....paying attention?........................:)
Hey you PUNKS if you dislike the Police that's one thing but Leave the Innocent Animals out of this. (Little Pricks)
what makes you think they can read?....play computer games sure.... but read?...and the news at that?......not likely.........:)
A B C D Bird? Abie See the Bird...
M N O Bird! Him is No Bird...
O S E R Oh Yes He are....
A Jail bird! Besides, they may get their GEDs while serving a term in county jail.
is it just me or does that picture look like Wilbur and MR. Ed?..............................
A Horse is a horse of course, of course... and he's known as Mr Ed! Ohhhhh, Wilbur
Sounds like fans of the NFL player that was busted for touching a police horse last week....a look at us action..we can touch your horses...stupids..
This just in: A thief has broken in to a Chicago police station under renovation and stolen bathroom fixtures. A police spokesman has said they have nothing to go on.
Stop it I squirted coffee out my nose when I read your post.
Attacks on abortion and Obama? Does any of this have anything to do with low rent people attacking a horse with a fire extinguisher? Everyone has their own agendas. Aside from the obvious trolls I would suggest that if you cannot add to a conversation than you keep quiet. Hiding behind a keyboard is so pathetic. I am sick of all the election crap. Nothing anyone says on here is going to change my mind. Get over it and go on with your lives and stick to the topic at hand. I am sure someone will turn in the idiots or idiot that did this. Hope they have a short and unpleasant visit in jail and or prison. No one likes an animal abuser or child abuser except another one.
JPR
What I do is click on the Exclamation Point box, then click No value, then click Inflammatory and lastly click Advertising because that really gets the censor, err monitors attention! If enough do that, they usually get collapsed.
they are lucky the vandals didn't feed them xlax &laxitives,that would have been real @!$%#ty
It's probably the striking teachers that dun it - or Rohmbo is trying to create a diversion!
Why wasn't anyone there at the stable overnight ? Certainly seems like sloppy security . There should have been at least one or two overnight care takers there you know in case of fire . . Guess the police don't care about their fellow officers .
THe city had to lay them off to pay for the teachers benefits...just kidding.
Our horses sleep all night in the barn all by them selves...we sleep in the house
But Now that you mention it Yeah...I had forgotten all about that Chicago and fire thingy
Ya you'd think they would have a Security Guard or something?? When they ketch them, they need to spray them in the face with a fire extinquisher!! I couldn't be a law enforcement officer, because I would get fired for beating the crap out of them!!
No one fully anticipated the finer social qualities of the teachers union until they were already on the street.
I think there are volunteers who would alterante staying in the barn overnight-armed. I also think there should have been cameras up for surveillance. Next, lets find these"good hearted" people and get a fire extinguisher--oops!
Was a terrible act of violence! I can tell you this, if this happened in my barn the little b@sturds would be shot. I wouldn't waste the money to prosecute or money for three free meals, education, television, workout program or anything else the prison system allows for the worst of our society. One bullet - done. Zero tolerance for abuse to animals, children and seniors.
It's a pathetic, sick human being who would choose to take out his/her low-life frustrations on innocent animals. Perhaps when the responsible party(ies) are caught, they should be held responsible not only for the physical care of the horses - i.e., stall cleaning, feeding, bathing, grooming, tack cleaning - but also for the monetary responsibility - i.e., feed, bedding, veterinary care, shoeing, grooming supplies, etc. - for an entire year. It may not be so amusing the next time a really stupid thought enters his/her mind.
People who harm animals are some of the lowest scum of the earth. Quite often they "graduate" to children and/or adults. May they get what they have coming to them.
"Vandal" is a racist word, just like "Jewed" or "Gypped", and has no place in a respectible news headline.
Really, howcome? I'm not being a smartass, I have really never heard that before!
Vandals were a group of so called barbarians that lived in what is now called Germany. The were constantly attacking the Roman empire an actually sacked the city of Rome in 445 AD.
The Eastern Germanic Vandal tribe specialized in looting, burning, and pillaging. It is not racist, referring instead to the less desirable social habits of a particular tribe. Now, 1500 years later, it is called the teachers union.
It takes a special kind of POS to harm animals.
Such a sad statement of the human condition when their aggression has to be directed at a defenseless animal. Little do they know how easily horses are spooked and their behaviour may have permanently harmed them. Whoever is responsible should be punished to the extent of the law regardless of their age.