Horses saved from being euthanized
By Lisa Bolivar
Originally published 01:00 a.m., January 8, 2010
Updated 08:38 p.m., January 8, 2010
PLANT CITY — A joint effort to rescue a dozen special needs horses
avoided tragedy Friday when two feuding parties signed an agreement
that saved the animals from euthanasia.
The horses were scheduled to be put down next week prior to a Jan. 14 eviction deadline.
Bernadette Resnik, operator of Aziizi Foundation Inc., a nonprofit
horse rescue organization founded in 1996, and her landlords, Peter and Roberta Murray of Plant City, had been in a dispute over past due rent that resulted in a court-ordered eviction.
While the battle over money continued, donations to the foundation
dwindled and the fate of the horses, four of them blind, remained
unclear.
“The landlords are evicting us, but they are going to keep the nine
horses until they can find homes for them,” a relieved Resnik said.
“Thank God the Murrays stepped forward.”
Martin County Sheriff’s office confirmed that Resnik and the Murrays
signed an agreement that allows the Murrays to take immediate
possession of nine of the horses. Resnik will keep three under her own
care.
Problems arose between the friends after Resnik failed to pay six
months of rent a situation she said resulted from a misunderstanding.
“This has been a huge emotional roller coaster ride,” Resnik said.
Court documents show Resnik had an agreement with the Murrays to build a $12,000 barn on 2 acres of their property at 6860 S.W. Market Street in Palm City, Florida and then begin paying $500 per month rent two years into a 30-year agreement.
Because building the barn took time to complete, and because Resnik
understood the lease would take effect two years after physically
moving the horses onto the property, there was a disagreement in when money was to be paid.
“By the time we raised the money and built the barn, 14 months had
passed since the signing,” she said. “I didn’t pay any rent until last
March, and they backed up the due date to the beginning of the signing and that held up in court.”
Eviction and a $6,500 bill to Resnik is the result.
Roberta Murray said the situation is unfortunate because both women
have the welfare of the horses at heart.
“We had been friends at one time. We just had a problem when it came to the care of the horses,” Murray said
Roberta Murray thinks she has found homes for three of the blind
animals, but that will not be confirmed until next week. She said she
also may have found some foster homes for a few of the remaining
animals, but that is still up in the air as well. Both women have agreed to overcome their differences and work together to get all of the horses placed in homes.
“Bernadette ran out of money, she was having a hard time trying to
place them, and then there was talk about having to euthanize them, and I just can’t stand that,” Roberta Murray said. “They aren’t going to be put down now, but this may take a longer time that we planned to find them homes.”
IF YOU WANT TO HELP:
Bernadette Resnik of Aziizi Foundation Inc., and Roberta Murray need
help finding homes for nine special needs horses. None can be ridden,
four are blind, but all need to be adopted to homes that will care for
them indefinitely. In the meantime donations of feed and hay are
requested.
WHO TO CONTACT: Call Bernadette Resnik at 284-6873 or call Roberta Murray at 286-1369.
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