NEWS
Paragallo scheduled for arraignment on Monday
Posted: Friday, April 17, 2009 12:19 PM
by Paul Post
The first recovering horses from Ernie Paragallo's Center Brook Farm in upstate New York could be moved to new homes beginning on Tuesday.
On April 8, police and humane society investigators made the horrific discovery at his Climax, Greene County, New York, farm of 177 horses that had not been properly cared for in months. Most were gaunt, thin, and infested with worms and lice. Three were in such poor condition they had to be euthanized.
Charged with 22 counts of animal cruelty, Paragallo was jailed, made bail, and is scheduled for arraignment on Monday in Town of Coxsackie, New York.
He has surrendered 66 horses for which the Columbia-Greene Humane Society is trying to find homes. Response has come from throughout the country, prompted by national media attention including a segment on the “Today Show.” The fate of the rest is still up in the air pending upcoming legal action.
"In the meantime we're overseeing the farm to make sure these animals are fed and that veterinarians are coming in," said Ron Rerez, humane society president and enforcement officer. "Nobody's ever done anything like this. There was no feed in the damn place. He's been in this business for years. He had the ability to reach out to the Thoroughbred community or a group like ours and ask for help.
"I don't think this guy should ever have animals again. That's the way I'd like to see it play out."
Before horses can be moved to new homes, the humane society is conducting background checks of prospective owners based partially on interviews with veterinarians and ferriers. Also, the animals' blood is being check to make sure they are not carrying disease.
Despite the incident's shocking severity, current state law allows only for misdemeanor charges, Perez said. Proposed legislation that would have made ten or more counts of equine cruelty a felony was never passed, he said.
"He could go to trial or they could cut a deal, plea bargain," he said. "The racing industry is the one who can take the boots to him and keep him out of the business."
The New York Racing Association revoked Paragallo's credential to operate at its tracks on April 9, the day after the raid. On the same day, Paraneck Stables was notified that Paragallo could no longer serve as its managing agent and that the stable would not be permitted to race horses at NYRA tracks until a new managing agent is installed that is not a relative or current employee and is acceptable to NYRA. The New York State Racing and Wagering Board subsequently revoked his racing license.
Paraneck Stables currently has 38 horses at Aqueduct, in training but not racing. They are under the same security procedures as are all horses there.
"NYRA is working actively with all New York thoroughbred industry stake holders to prevent this kind of outrage from ever happening again," spokesman John Lee said.
Perez credited the farm's eight Latin American employees, all of whom speak no or limited English, with preventing more deaths by distributing limited feed the best they could.
"These guys are heroes," he said. "If they just threw their hands up because they weren't getting paid, there would be carcasses here."
Paul Post is a New York-based THOROUGHBRED TIMES correspondent
