PORTLAND — A horse is listed as the plaintiff in a $100,000 lawsuit against the animal’s former Oregon owner, amid claims her negligence left him underweight and afflicted with other debilitating conditions.
Justice, an 8-year-old American quarter horse, is the plaintiff in the lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Animal Legal Defense Fund in Portland, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported .
The lawsuit against former owner Gwendolyn Vercher claims Justice will require special medical care for the rest of his life.
The owner’s negligence caused the horse to be 300 pounds underweight and covered in lice and a skin infection, the lawsuit said. He also had damage to genitals from severe frostbite, according to the lawsuit.
The horse was removed from Vercher’s property in Cornelius in March 2017. Justice now lives at a horse rescue facility in Troutdale.
Vercher was convicted of first-degree animal neglect and sentenced to three years of probation last year, according to court records.
Vercher did not immediately respond to the newspaper’s requests for comment Wednesday.
Animals in Oregon have legally protected rights, said Sarah Hanneken, one of the horse’s attorneys. Under the state’s anti-cruelty statute, the horse should be allowed to recover the costs for pain and suffering, she said.
“Victims of crimes can sue their abusers and animals are sentient beings that are recognized as victims under Oregon law,” Hanneken said. “So with that premise, we’ve come to the conclusion that animals can sue their abusers and we’re confident of our stance in this case.”
Any money received from the lawsuit would be placed into a trust to pay for the horse’s medical costs, Hanneken said.
