His Family's Story:
In July of 1999 Hot Java Jazz ("JJ") was extremely weak and unsteady as he was in the end stages of kidney failure. We believe that his illness was probably due to toxic exposure because 31 Hereford cows and our dear Dalmatian dog had already died following exposure to runoff water which runs into our pasture from a stormwater holding pond on an adjacent development. "JJ" drank the water on several occasions when he jumped out of a temporary paddock which was intended to keep all animals out of the pasture. As his kidneys failed, his weight dropped to only about 600 lbs and he was losing his beautiful golden pigment & hair. He could barely eat and was suffering from chills -- having to be blanketed much of the time even though the temperatures were in the 90's. We planned to transport him during the week of July 19 to Ohio State University Vet Hospital in Columbus for tests and most likely humane euthanasia and necropsy.
"JJ" disappeared from his stall on our farm in Penn Twp. Westmoreland County PA between 10:30 pm Friday July 16, 1999 and 7:45 am the next morning. His heavy duty stall guard was found broken in three places. The Penn Twp. Police received a call around 2 am that a horse was seen loose on Seanor Rd near Pleasant Valley, (approx 1/2 mile from the farm!) however they found no horse at the location. Our family and others searched door to door for approx a mile in each direction until dark on Saturday; no horse had been seen by anyone, nor was his body found. Note this is a heavily populated suburban area. The PA State Police helicopter was used and the police dogs also. We were on the WTAE-TV (Pgh ABC affiliate) news and in all papers. Over 1100 flyers were distributed. People checked auctions across the region. No one saw anything for over a week. His vet said that in his condition he couldn't have walked a half mile on his own and he couldn't have lived even 24 hours without water in the heat with his kidneys failing.
WHERE WAS HE???
On Sunday July 25, the local police called to tell us that JJ was found dead in a neighbor's yard -- lying in some brush down over a bank only about 8 feet from the Seanor Road about 1/4 mile away from where the ladies reported seeing a horse that Saturday night over a week before. In a place which had already been searched THREE TIMES! He was not that badly decomposed (it seems that he just couldn't have been lying there dead for over a week in 90 plus degree heat; so he must have only been dead for 2-3-4 days at most.) He was peaceful and at rest; there was no sign that he had been thrashing or struggled.
It seems impossible that this extremely weak, dying horse would or could break a strong stall guard; leave hay, water, feed, and all his barnmates; travel loose for days over a half-mile through a populated suburban area; die right next to a public road; and no one sees him for over a week except two ladies on the first night. On Thursday he could barely make it 100 ft into the paddock and when he did get there he couldn't even chew his grass he was so weak. On Friday, only hours before he disappeared, he couldn't even eat his grain or hay and was lying down most of the time. HOW could he have suddenly gotten all this strength?? And with all the searching and people in the area, why wasn't he found -- dead or alive -- for eight days??
What happened is very strange and suspicious.
If "JJ" had made it to Ohio State and had to be put to sleep there his test and necropsy results might have been conclusive evidence as to whether there is something toxic in the area or not. IF THERE IS any improper storage or dumping of toxics in the area, it would be very serious and someone could be in serious trouble. Hundreds of families live nearby, and the runoff flows via Byers Run to Turtle Creek and then to the Monongahela River -- a water source for many municipalities. Did someone hear that we planned to take JJ for tests and wanted to make sure that he never got there?
The sad thing is that if "JJ" HAD made it to Ohio State, he might have been able to be saved.
