Foal seized in 63-horse raid dies

One of the horses seized from a West Plains ranch earlier this month has died. The horse, a five-month old foal, was found emaciated and malnourished at Janice Hickerson’s ranch during a seizure of 63 horses on Nov. 15, according to a news release. The foal was orphaned and Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service agents were unable to locate its mother. The horse is so far the only casualty of the 63 horses taken in November and 26 horses taken in July from Hickerson’s ranch, according to the release. The November case is the largest seizure in history for SCRAPS. A team from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is helping care for the horses at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. Hickerson, also known as Janice Long, has not been arrested. There is an active warrant for her arrest on charges of animal cruelty and confinement in an unsafe manner. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.