MASON CITY – A rural Mason City man is set to appear Wednesday in court in a case of animal neglect that occurred last week.
Ralph Stricker, 89, now faces a more serious charge after a horse he owned died on his property on February 5th. Stricker was arrested that day and originally charged with simple misdemeanor animal neglect. On February 8th, the Cerro Gordo County Attorney’s Office filed an upgraded charge of animal neglect causing serious injury or death.
A pregnant horse owned by Stricker was euthanized on February 5th after sustaining an unknown injury and laying in a field for a number of days. Onlookers had gathered at the scene – just north of Highway B-20 and west of Highway 65 – and had made numerous calls to authorities about the condition of the horse.
In a related matter, Stricker appeared in court Monday to face a charge of livestock neglect – a simple misdemeanor – from a citation filed by Mason City police on January 22nd, 2013. He was released on his own recognizance.
SUBJECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
22 thoughts on “Ralph Stricker now faces more serious charge in death of horse”
This man has had so many animal abuse charges that it makes me sick. He should not be allowed to have animals of any kind. What does age have to do with it…this has been going on for years. He needs mental evaluation and more than a slap on the hands.
Age has a lot to do with his issues and mental state. What has been going on at his farm is very sad. We should all feel some compassion not only for his animals but also for Ralph and his family that are trying hard to deal with it.
I don’t know his family, but if Ralph has dementia, he needs some assistance. I know from dealing with a person with dementia in my family that they can be extremely stubborn when faced with giving up their lifestyle, whether it be giving up driving privileges, living alone, pets, or farming, and dealing with them can be extremely frustrating because you can have the same argument every 5 minutes. I do wish that there were some agency that could step in and offer to help his family with the situation if he is unreasonable. Perhaps they need someone who knows how to talk to him, to help them get someone to evaluate Ralph, to have power of attorney to make decisions for him if it is determined he is not able to make his own. I don’t know if any of the above is needed, but in light of past neglect charges and his failure to maintain fences, he needs help and advice at the very least. It seems to me that if law enforcement can refer people to rehab they should be able to refer people for mental status evaluation and help from an agency. I hope that all of this can be resolved for the best for Ralph, his family, and his animals.
NONE of you were there with the vet.
NONE of you really know the diagnosis the vet gave.
NONE of you know sht.
@LVS Livestock or pet eithert way doesn’t make any difference. An animal in distress needs vet care and can feel PAIN.FOOL.
@Katie you must for sure be blonde. Stop sugar coating what “might” have gone on. Deal with the fact that as I said you don’t know sht. You weren’t there.
@Anon-who you calling a fool you STUPID jerk. You are the one who doesn’t (not don’t) know sh**. You can’t even spell so how would you know anything. Livestock is not a pet. It is there to make a profit for its owner. Now go away FOOL.
LVS…for someone who complains about name calling all the time you sure are quick to call others names. Wouldn’t you call that person a hypocrite?
So, Anon, were you there? What makes you think you know more than anyone else? As I said, leave this to the law, the veterinarian, and the State Department of Animal Welfare. They are the ones who should be deciding this.
You don’t seem to understand that I’m saying he is being charged with the wrong crime. He did not cause the death or injury of this horse through neglect. As far as we know, another animal caused the injury. Period. If they feel they need to charge him with something, it has to be animal neglect or cruelty if they find he refused to euthanize in a timely manner if advised by the veterinarian.
I thought blondes were really emotional and couldn’t think straight, according to folklore…….. Sorry. I’m logical, think things through, and research things before I post.
Well I have been waiting for a correction of the mans name. Does ‘Stricker’ ring a bell? Sheesh, where is the spiel chequer around here?
Hell no, any church going people out there? If so what’s wrong with this picture, tring to put a 90 year old man injail. Come on people now try to love one another. There has to be a better way, better way. God Bless us all.
This man has been neglecting his animals for years — just go back and read newspapers as far back as the 1970’s. It’s about time someone does something. I agree, throw the book at him.
Unless there is proof HE injured the horse, there is no book to throw at him in this case. They could charge him with neglect for the condition of his fences. If the veterinarian or the Department of Animal Welfare says he should have put the horse to sleep during the first examination on Monday night, and he refused, then there may be a case against him for animal neglect. But his neglect did not cause the death or injury of the horse, as far as we know. He may have caused prolonged suffering from an injury from which she could not have recovered, but not death. We don’t know the entire story and the current charges do not seem appropriate with the information we have been given.
Farming isn’t a pretty business. Not that many years ago, this horse would have been shot, cut up, and fed to the pigs. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it was on farms. Nothing went to waste.
Come on Katie I thought you were smarter than this!
Have you seen the video, Katie?
You are basing everything on your emotions, not the law. Why aren’t you arguing that all the injured animals that come in to the NIHS be put down immediately because they are suffering and struggling? Is it just because they are out of sight in a kennel where you don’t have to see it? Get a grip.
@Katie-I remember back to my youth when I used to work the farms around the area and some of the stuff I have seen. Then of course was my three years at Deckers back in the 60’s and the things I saw there. We used to kill cattle with a mall by hitting them in the head and then slitting their throat. Livestock are not pets and should not be thought of in the same way. Katie, you are absolutely correct in your comments although you are dealing with emotion and a lack of knowledge. Hard to overcome.
Who said I wanted this Horse OR any animal to be put down? If an animal is suffering and the owner doesn’t want to pay for the medical cost to fix the problem then it needed to be put down instead of laying in that field in obvious pain and suffering. He allowed this horse to suffer for many days. You’re ok with that? My emotions are not getting in the way, its just common sense.
You need to get a clue.
The law? The law doesn’t allow neglect/abuse.
@Anonymous-are you a lawyer. If not you need to get a clue and grow up. He was well within his rights to put a bullet in the horses head and he could have saved the vet bill.
The deputy said on the video that the horse went down Sunday night. The veterinarian was there late Monday. The horse was euthanized Tuesday at 2 PM. That’s not even 48 hours. The horse was not even given 24 hours to respond, but I also know that if a horse is down for much longer than that, chances are it is not going to recover.
How do you know Mr. Stricker didn’t want to pay for treatment? How do you know the horse WASN’T given some treatment? And how does less than 48 hours equal many days? Give me some facts to back up your noncommon sense. And some of what you saw may have been the horse’s frustration at not being able to get up rather than pain and suffering. A horse in a lot of pain would not be eating and drinking or struggling to get up thereby making its pain worse. Leave it alone and let the law and veterinarians handle this.
if this is how he treats livestock, what does this guys house look like? assisted living?
I don’t understand how they can charge him with neglect causing serious injury or death. How did neglect cause the horse’s injury? How did neglect cause the horse’s death? It was a tragic circumstance that another horse injured the pregnant horse and it happened outside in winter and virtually no one, including the Humane Society, has the equipment to deal with these circumstances. This man is possibly guilty of neglect for not having adequate fencing, but what proof is there he caused this horse’s injuries and death? The horse was alert, fed and watered, a veterinarian examined it, and he finally caved in to public pressure and had the horse put to sleep.
Dogs and cats go down on their hind legs from injuries, sometimes struggle for a long time during recovery, and are eventually given wheelchairs if they do not recover use, or they are put to sleep because they can’t walk or control eliminations. Police don’t charge THEIR owners with neglect. The same thing happens to cows and pigs and they are put to sleep. The outrage over this issue is too much. There is more of a human/animal bond with pets and horses and people are not so quick to put them to sleep if there is any chance to restore function. That should not be a crime.
I have to agree, he has done a lot of things wrong with the fences, but this was not an intentional thing in my opinion. In he old days, women would die giving birth and so would the baby.
I am not giving excuses, but this guy is still trying to stay active and make a living at 89. This is nature, these things happen to Dear all the time in the wild, there is no vet to take care of them.
The horses were fed and watered,as well as his cattle. There are some things you can’t prevent when you are a farmer. Nobody want’s to lose an animal that you can make a profit on, I am sure that was this man’s intent, to kill his profit, that doesn’t make sense to me.
I thank him for his spirit at his age.
I don’t know who is worse; a senile old man or a capable community who sat by and watched this happen. Too bad the horse couldn’t have held on just a little longer. Maybe the DC trippers could have lobbied for federal funds to rescue the horse. But hey, MC doesn’t care about human rights so why should anyone think they would give a damn about that horse’s rights.
Throw the book at him!