August 1, 2012 - Opie is not home yet. He was picked up from Monday night (technically Tuesday morning right after midnight) from the unsuspecting family who has had him and loved him since November 2003. They did not know he had been stolen and, even though they were selling him, they were looking for just the right home because they do love him very much.

When someone takes a horse either by theft or by "civil" theft a domino affect begins. What we have here are three victims: the person who owned him when he was stolen, and the person who has had him since 2003, and, of course, Opie, who is now caught in the middle. The emotions are high in both families.

Let’s not forget either the tipster who wonders if she did the right thing. She was so glad to help a victim but devastated, too, when saw the pain the other family was going through after having their world turned upside down.  Losing him in the middle of the night the way they did, with barely time to say goodbye, is not an optimum situation for any honest, kind person, even if they were planning on selling him.  

Did the tipster do the right thing by contacting Stolen Horse International? Absolutely! We found the owner (which was not easy since she has move 4 times in 10 years and is in Arkansas) and made contact with her and broke the news. We put together all the information that law enforcement needed to recover Opie for the victim. So valuable time would not be wasted, we contacted the officer on the original report to make sure this was a true theft. Once we knew again verified that this was still considered criminal theft by authorities, we assembled names, addresses and phone numbers for all parties, statements of fact, location of the horse and then handed it to them on a so all they had to do was verify the  particulars and pick Opie up. I was personally working with the Dayton County Deputy and the TSCRA Ranger until they were on the way back with him at 2 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Did law enforcement do the right thing? Absolutely! At the time of seizure no one knew if Opie would be there the next day since he was on Craigslist for sale. No one knew if the people who had him were bad people or good people. Thank goodness for Opie it was the latter. He has had a good life with the family to whom he was given to in 2003. For now, due to the investigation, I cannot divulge any details relating to the original theft or give out any more information.

Law Enforcement took custody of Opie and he has been at one of their holding farms until all details are checked and cleared. I received word last night from one of the officers involved that it looks like Opie will be ready to go home today. Hopefully, that will happen and all will go smoothly.

Both owners of Opie are in shock for different reasons. One had him yanked from her loving arms and was left in tears. The other who had her world turned upside down when he was stolen, has never quit worrying about him and wondering if he was okay, has had her world flip, too, now that he has been found.

At Stolen Horse International we are so thankful for the woman who thought to check out the horse on NetPossse.com before she bought hm. She was so happy to help right a wrong that took place almost 10 years ago. She didn’t stand by and let the wrong continue. Our hats are off to her for her courage in a society where most will look the other way and not get involved. This story is bittersweet. New wounds are open for one family and old wounds starting to heal for another. None of this should have happen. One act caused the dominoes to start falling in 2003; one spineless act of a thief.

Read July 31, 2012 Press Release here: http://netposse.com/newsviewer.asp?id=706