September 29, 2026
In late September the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Task Force rescued nearly 170 animals from a property in Lawrence County, Missouri, in what our staff described as the worst hoarding situation they have ever seen.
While 106 animals were transported to the Humane Society of Missouri, 61 farm animals came into the care of Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, including 11 horses, three goats, two ducks and 45 chickens.
The areas where the horses were living were extremely cluttered and unsafe, with broken pieces of metal, damaged gates and feeders, wire and boards with exposed nails throughout the property.
One horse was found inside a dark barn in a very small stall, standing ankle-deep in mud. Some had access to containers of water, but it was extremely dirty. Our team did not see food available for the horses, goats or birds, although some of the horses may have been able to graze among the tall weeds.
It took our team nearly 24 hours to rescue and transport the animals from Lawrence County, with the work continuing into the middle of the night. Our team stayed with them until every animal was safe at Longmeadow.
Since then, our veterinary team has been assessing the animals and determining what care each one will need.
A disposition hearing to determine permanent custody is scheduled for October 26, 2026. Until the legal process is complete, the animals will remain in our care and will not be available for adoption, nor will they be available to see during public days.
