For years, Cypress Trails Ranch LLC, a for-profit business in Houston, Texas, has been the subject of grave concern due to the endangerment and neglect of horses. Despite the alarming conditions, there has been little to no intervention by local and state officials.
The ranch is situated directly in Floodway AE, an area notorious for flooding. The ranch has flooded to the top of the first story buildings on known years of 1994, 2001, 2016, 2017, 2019. This precarious location has necessitated multiple rescues of drowning horses by both citizens and first responders. Tragically, some horses have not survived these incidents. Despite these dangers, Darolyn Butler, the owner of the ranch, continues to bring new horses onto the property.
Shockingly, Butler declined a $400,000 buyout of her flood-prone property. She remains in this hazardous location, exploiting the local community, customers, and our essential fire, rescue, and police services.
At any given time, there are between 70-80 horses on a parcel of land that is less than 10.8 acres. This overcrowded space, located beside the Cypress Creek Watershed, under the Cypresswood Dr. bridge, lacks adequate shelter, leaving many animals exposed to harsh weather conditions.
The conditions on the property and the horsemanship taught there only serve to perpetuate this cycle of human and horse endangerment, neglect, and unsafe riding practices.
Horses kept in wet or moist pastures, or those enduring prolonged wet weather, face an increased risk of skin and foot infections. A horse living on wet ground with no shelter from the rain, or standing in water, can potentially develop hoof abscesses, various dermatologic conditions, and a host of other diseases.
Incidents of rain rot, rain scald, scratches, mud fever, and other bacterial dermatitis caused by Dermatophilus congolensis increase during wet weather. Wet, poorly drained pastures and paddocks are commonly associated with distal limb dermatitis. In addition, wet muddy conditions can predispose horses to foot infections, leading to lameness and requiring veterinary intervention.
Furthermore, the extra moisture can lead to an increase in insect-borne diseases, especially if periods of heavy rains are followed by milder weather. Mosquitoes and biting flies, which thrive in flooded and previously flooded areas, spread a number of viral diseases, such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), and West Nile virus (WNV).
We urge you to take action. The horses at Cypress Trails Ranch LLC deserve better. They deserve a safe, healthy environment where they are cared for, not neglected. Please join us in calling for immediate intervention to protect these innocent animals. We are asking state and local officials to investigate this matter and demand the closure of this For-Profit business until the safety and care of the horses can be ensured at all times.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter