HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Diane Davis at Dream Chaser Horse Rescue, with Charlie Brown, who was brought to her in very bad shape in October 2008. Charlie has almost no teeth and still has a long recovery ahead, but he is in much better shape than he was. RELATED STORY Internet smears hurt horses Advertisement

Diane Davis is boiling mad.

She's also very concerned about the possible long-term effects of an ongoing Internet smear campaign against her horse rescue operation in Pahrump and how it might compromise her ability to help the 28 horses in her care.

Davis said donations of money and feed are down and cars are driving slowly past her ranch as if to check out the horses. That's never happened before.

"I've got nothing to hide," she said.

"Diane has done everything we've asked of her to be completely in compliance with her horse rescue," said Nye County Animal Cintrol Officer Tim McCarty.

Still, it's unnerving.

On Feb. 12, Jill Curtis, who runs Shiloh Horse Rescue in Sandy Valley, Calif., told people via the daily blog on her Web site "to report abuse and neglect" at Davis' Dream Chaser Horse Rescue by calling the Nevada SPCA, the Humane Society and McCarty.

McCarty said he has found no evidence of abuse or neglect.

After receiving the first of many calls, McCarty visited Davis at Dream Chaser and found everything shipshape.

McCarty spoke with Davis, walked around the five-acre ranch, looked in the stalls and checked the water and feed.

He noticed two thin horses, two fat horses and the remaining 24 horses fell into an average category, considering their ages and underlying illnesses.

Since she operates a rescue, well-fed horses in their prime do not usually find their way into Davis' care. People bring her horses they find wandering in the desert. Some horses are tethered to her front gate before dawn by owners who can no longer afford to feed them.

She also rescues sick horses or those with broken hips or legs that are scheduled to be put down.

"Ours is a place where any unwanted horses can come, regardless of age or condition, and be loved and cared for without fear of neglect or abuse," said Davis.

Along with a small band of volunteers, Davis keeps the horses clean and fed. Their water is changed regularly; the horses are exercised and their stalls are cleaned.

There is a small exercise area in the front of the ranch, with a two-acre turnout area in the back of the property where the horses gather for time together.

Davis sells handmade and other small items to raise money for veterinarian and farrier care.

Because of continuing complaints, on Feb. 18, McCarty sent a veterinarian to Dream Chaser to assess Davis' horses.

Dr. Gerald Hensler examined each horse on the basis of age and health problems.

The horses were rated on a scale from one to nine, with the number one representing a starved horse and nine meaning obese. Health problems such as heart murmurs, teeth wear and cribbing were noted in order to continue monitoring the horses in future visits.

In his report, Hensler noted the horses were adequately fed.

"The thin horses are all at least 30 years of age and have various health problems, the most significant of which is excess tooth wear, limiting their ability to grind food and to gain weight. These old horses will tend to stay thin even on a gruel diet."

Five of Davis' horses are at least 30 years old, two are in their late 20s and five are more than 10 years old. Five horses needed farrier attention, which was already scheduled as funds allowed.

Various ailments are noted on the veterinarian's report, including no teeth, kidney problems, scoliosis and a bad knee. These are problems Davis inherited when she took responsibility for the horses.

"The bottom line is there is nothing wrong there," said McCarty on Tuesday. "I now speak with Diane and her farrier regularly. There is nothing wrong with the horses physically. There is no proof of negligence.

"I don't think Diane has any other perspective than to take care of and love these animals."

McCarty met on one occasion with a delegation of seven women from Shiloh Horse Rescue at his office. The one hour meeting left him with questions of his own.

"If you rescue horses, wouldn't you show up with a half-ton of feed if you thought the horses were starved?" he said

In contrast, McCarty said his agency called Best Friends, a rescue organization in Kanab, Utah, a while back and informed the staff that Nye County was going to kill 700 cats because there was no place to house them.

"Those people spent $700,000 on their rescue effort, and their staff was on the ground here for six months, living in RVs and trailers," McCarty said.