HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8637 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8637
Date: 1011212004
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Page 1 of 1
�e�ra SUBJECT: Mounted Patrol Horses
The purpose of this report is to respond to Council's request for information on the disposition of horses
assigned to the Mounted Patrol Unit.
For the past twenty years the Fort Worth Police Mounted Patrol Unit has received horses through the Fort
Worth Mounted Patrol Citizens Support Group. This group was incorporated in 1987 and is a licensed
5013c organization. Each animal received by the support group, either through purchase or direct donation,
is owned by the group and leased back to the department at no cost. General care, housing, veterinarian
treatment, and insurance costs have been the responsibility of the Police Department. Unit operating
procedures and department policy require that animals that can no longer meet training standards or perform
field assignments must be returned to the support group. The support group has historically turned such
animals over to their agent, Mr. Lanham Riley, who has sold them to private citizens. Each sale requires that
no commercialization of the animal or its association with the Fort Worth Police Mounted Patrol or the
Citizens Support Group will be attempted.
Until this past month, there were seventeen Support Group-owned horses assigned to the mounted patrol
unit. Of these, nine were over 18 years of age. Due to health reasons, two of these animals are no longer
able to perform field assignments and will be retired from service. It is the Support Group's intention to
pasture both animals. In addition, for humanitarian reasons one of the remaining animals was recently put-
down by the support group's veterinarian, Dr. Bill Anderson. The Support Group has cremated the animal's
remains and we intend to intern them at the Police and Fire Training Center. The Department will purchase
and display a memorial plaque recognizing the animal's police service as has been done for the Department's
K9 dogs over the past twenty-five years.
If you have any further questions please contact ACM Joe Paniagua at 817.871.6140 or Chief Ralph
Mendoza at 817. 392.4210.
Charles R. Boswell
Interim City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS