Thank you SO MUCH for this investigation! Please keep digging into this and other rescue situtations. The horses and other concerned horse-owners thank you!

Thank you for runnung this story Linda! It is long over due!

Stellar job of reporting, Linda! So many people in the equestrian community have been trying to shut Dean down for years. The horses who came to her in somewhat poor condition either became worse off, or died from her lack of care. Most came to her in good condition and ... well, it's just sickening to have witnessed what those defensless, innocent animals went through.

The abuse extends past horses and into other animals too - i'm sure that will be exposed, eventually.

Many of us involved in the horse rescue "industry" have been aware of this situation for many years. Sadly, Ms. Solomon always managed to stay just a step ahead of Animal Control, but the mud, manure, rain rot, lack of hay, vet or farrier care, and overcrowded conditions were well-known in the area. Many volunteers passed through PEC over the years, often leaving after they could no longer stand the conditions there. A few people still stand by Dean - blinded by the fact that she has "saved" so many horses, but most people now realize that the number one most important principle in horse rescue is not taking on more than you can handle. If you cannot provide for a rescued horse properly, including providing appropriate rehabilitation, housing, feeding, veterinary care, farrier care, handling, training, and then safely adopt out that horse into an appropriate and approved home, then you are simply prolonging the suffering of a horse that wasn't in a good situation to begin with. It was definitely Quantity over Quality when it came to horse rescue at PEC. Even as Dean failed to pay her vet and farrier bills or buy hay for the horses, she was notorious for continuing to scour Craiglist and other bulletin boards looking for giveaway horses and picking up horses at the local auctions and feedlots. She ran her "Rescues Only" bulletin board and had many adoring fans from all across the country, and she reveled in the attention she received with each new horse she brought home, photographed and proudly posted for all to see. The horse was then promptly warehoused with the rest and rarely spoken of again. It was a cycle she repeated again and again, and reeked of hoarder syndrome. She even went so far as to try and adopt horses from other rescue groups.

Thank you so much for finally bringing this story into the public view! It is sad that a story like this paints rescues in such a bad light, especially during a time when horse neglect cases are on the rise and horse rescues are truly needed. There are good rescues out there! The best way to find out if a rescue is good or not is to go out and see if yourself, ask a lot of questions (which they should be happy to answer), and watch to see that horses that come in to the rescue quickly begin to recover once they receive the proper care. Horses should never be adopted out without being fully rehabilitated, up to date on shots, farrier care, worming, dental floats, and stallions should be gelded. Adoptors should be carefully screened and horses adopted out under an adoption contract. Rescues that do not provide this kind of basic care are nothing better than glorified horse traders, in my opinion, or in Dean's case, animal hoarders.

Many many people who are involved in horse rescue, particularly online, watched as other rescues sent horses after horse after horse to PEC and Dean Solomon, even after serious questions about the care she provided them was raised.

One of those most serious allegations, about a horse named Morrocco that was housed at PEC for several months, proved to be a case of fraud in which Dean presented bills (from the vet and others) for services never supplied this poor animal. He ended up being put down when he finally arrived at his adopters home and was finally examined by a vet and found to be too severely injured/deformed in the leg to be comfortable. That he languished at Dean Solomons/PEC for those months without care and truly suffering is just beyond belief. Who calls that a rescue?

I do not care how many horses she may have helped, or provided good care to... if you hurt or neglect or abuse ONE in the process it's not acceptable. We truly must expect MORE of the rescues than we do of the average horse owner, otherwise what is the example we are setting? In other words, if you talk the talk, but do not walk the walk, what value is it? It ends up giving ALL rescue, and charity a bad name.

Ms. Byron, thank you for seeing this story through and to the volunteer Kristi who stepped forward and told the truth? I commend you. So many saw what you saw and said nothing and even encouraged more horses going into that situation. Thank you for being on the side of the horses, Kristi.

These are sick-in-the-head animal collectors. We've seen it year after year with the dog and cat problem, now the barn yard animals are finally showing up on the media. These are people that need the properties seized and jail time, nothing more. THey collect and "care" for Mr Ed and his 3 dozen friends to do nothing than make up for a void in their own lives: Money. Most of these people are poor, havent had an actual job in recent history and gather up animals that are kept like currency under the mattress for a rainy day thats already come and gone for them. These places are all over Puget Sound. and many are not rescue" organizations. Linda, trust me, you could easily have a full time job at KING doing just THAT kind of investigation. Keep at it.

GREAT job, Linda, of exposing this woman for the hypocritical and manipulative hoarder that she is.

I agree with many other posters here - we in the rescue community (or at least those of us who try to do responsible horse rescue: e.g. properly rehabilitating emaciated animals, providing proper vet/farrier care; providing FEED; adopting to appropriate homes; doing reference checks, site checks, and follow up visits) have been horrified at what has happened to horses under PEC/Dean's care.

Not *all* horse rescuers are whackjobs, but there are a lot of sham "rescues" out there (of which at least one, based in E. WA, did a LOT of business with Dean/PEC, despite knowing about concerns about quality of care, and possible hoarding - they too are complicit in my opinion!).

I might add that Dean/PEC attempted ALSO to adopt horses from other rescues - this is fairly unheard of in the rescue world. RESPONSIBLE rescues did not adopt or give horses to her.

We can only hope that justice will prevail for the horses and other animals (birds) that have died and suffered in her "care." As a penalty, I hope that she will be forbidden to own or touch another animal again. This woman needs court-mandated psychiatric intervention, and continued monitoring so that she does not acquire more animals - at minimum.

Thank-you Linda for the great story.
I know someone that refused to send a horse to this woman now I understand.
Our state has no standards of care or requirements for "rescues." They get a 501 with the federal government and people think they are honest. Our state is littered with these so-called rescues that have conflicts of interest galore!
They need to be held accountable!

Great job Linda! Like many have said we have known about Dean's animal neglect and abuse for a long time. Unfortunately I saw it first hand when I worked with her, friends in other "horse rescues" confirmed what I had saw. It was amazing that she could even think to believe she was doing the right thing. She was obsessed with the Enumclaw auction gathering "unwanted" animals.

Sure would be nice to hear the other side of the story. This "Investigative Reporting" appears to be a bit jaded! Oh ya, I forgot that only sensationalism sells!

Thank you for running the story and thanks also to KCAC for taking action! I bought a horse from Solomon a few years ago - a young mare who was out in a pasture with too many other horses and who was all ribs. It took at least 4 months to get her up to a healthy weight. Solomon lied about the horse's training, age, breeding, etc. I'm just glad I bought the little mare so she didn't end up in the condition some of these other horses are in! I don't believe that Solomon's intentions were all that "good" - I think she's a sick hoarder who is dishonest and really does NOT have compassion for these animals. Thank goodness justice is being done and these horses are being rescued (for real this time)!

I hope also that someone is checking into April Brock who ran PEC with Solomon. I believe she is running another facility somewhere (Enumclaw?)- not sure if she's still "rescuing" horses but AC should check her out as well!

Thank you so much on shedding light on this horrible fact. And to ANGFREDA, thank you so much for speaking for Morroco, I personally was involved on the good side of that sad case, and I think you from the bottom of my heart for telling the TRUTH!!

Please do a follow-up story!

King County sends horses to slaughter!

http://kingcountyanimalcontrol.blogspot.com/

Please do a follow-up story on this hoarder.

What Dean Solomon did/does - neglecting and starving horses, and letting them go without vet care despite chronic pain conditions, is far worse, and far more inhumane, than providing a humane death by euthanasia. I'd rather see them go through the 2 weeks of a slaughter cycle than suffer and starve in a field or stall for MONTHS.

Dean, the horse world is still watching you.

There needs to be a follow up on this. Dean was required to keep 33 horses or less as a result of her charges, but she has continued to obtain and hoard more horses since then. Oh, but now she has one less to feed. It is laying dead in a pool of blood in one of Dean's pastures. Dead from neglect after a long period of suffering. Dean wouldn't have the vet out. When will she be locked up so more horses don't have to suffer?

Yes, please do a follow-up! People need to know what a menace Ms. Solomon is to horses and the horse community!

It would absolutely be appreciated if there would be a follow-up on this topic. I cannot believe the stupidity and cruelty going on behind locked(ish) stable doors...

It would be very nice if there was a follow up on this story. Her trial is coming up soon. There are people still giving this woman money for her 'rescue'. It is amazing to me that this woman can still acquire horses, and allow them to die on her property. What is going on out there?

Linda,
Thank you for doing this story. Fantastic job!! I find that the press often does understand how concerned the public is about animal abuse. These stories need to be covered. Please, please keep covering this story as this the only way that justice can be served.

Linda, thank you for exposing this terrible situation. I have seen Dean in action first hand and know this story is far from over. I am asking as well for you to do a follow up story. I fear keeping her actions in the light of day is the only way to slow her down. I don't know what if anything will stop her.

Please do a followup on this. She sounds like an animal hoarder. I hear she is still starving horses.

I send you a sincere thank you for reporting to the public what a horrible situation these sweet horses are in. Maybe other reporters will follow your lead and speak for the animals FINALLY. This abuse and neglect is all over the country, and these bottom feeders must be stopped. The horses thank you Linda!

Remember the Salem Witch Hunt???

What people do not know is Patricia Clark from Serenity Equine Rescue follows/STALKS PEC.
This nut case Patricia even trespassed on to PEC property where a mare had died from colic. The mare had been seen twice a day by two different vets. She decided to do her own belly tap and draw blood. TALK ABOUT A WACKO! Who in the hell does that rather than calling the authorities?

Why doesn't King 5 report THE WHOLE STORY??