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January 9, 2000 Equine Placement Network, Inc. equineprotectionnetwork.com |
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New Holland, PA - On Monday, January 8, 2000, PA State Police, Troop J, Lancaster arrested John H. Schuffler, Valdese, NC on two, (2), arrest warrants for bad check charges, a misdemeanor, and failure to pay fines. Mr. Schuffler was taken by the PA State Police before Magistrate Wilwerth and paid fines and costs of $1000.00.
The charges stemmed from an incident of cruelty to animals at the New Holland Sales Stables on Monday, September 27, 1999. John H. Schuffler, Valdese, NC and Ernest S. Shaw, Troy, NC were cited under the PA Crimes Code for cruelty to animals and Agricultural Code violations. Both men transported disabled horses to the New Holland Sales Stables and offered the horses for sale. Both horses were visibly disabled. Neither of the horses had the required health certificates or Coggins Test as required by PA law.
Mr. Schuffler, Valdese, NC and Mr. Shaw, Troy, NC were taken before Magistrate Wilwerth on September 27, 1999 and pled guilty to all charges, paying $300 each in fines, in addition to court costs. The check that Mr. Schuffler wrote to Magistrate Wilwerth to pay the fines came back, "insufficient funds". Arrest warrants were then issued for Mr. Schuffler.
Both horses were placed with a horse rescue organization in York County. An equine veterinarian examined both horses. Both horses were euthanised due to their disabling injuries, which included broken legs.
Mr. Schuffler's brother, Steven Schuffler, also of NC, is a convicted horse thief. Steven Schuffler stole the paint racking mare, Idaho, who was recovered in TN one year after she was stolen from a NC family who refused to quit searching for their stolen horse.
The sale in New Holland, PA averages 250 horses per week, brought from several states. Horses moved interstate are required by law to have Coggins Tests and health certificates. Recently in PA, there has been an outbreak of EIA, the disease that the Coggins Test identifies. 26 horses have tested positive to the disease in the 1999 outbreak. Many of the 26 horses that tested positive were sent to slaughter in TX for human consumption overseas. Three other horses also tested positive in PA in 1999, unrelated to this outbreak.
Dealers and haulers of domestic animals are required under the PA Domestic Animal Act to be licensed. At the time of his arrest on January 10, 2000, Mr. Schuffler has still not obtained the required dealers & haulers permit as required by PA law. Other dealers who have been convicted of violations of PA, NY and other state laws, which are grounds for denial or revocation of permits have been granted permits by the PA Department of Agriculture.
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Recovered! |
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Coggins Test Laws |
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