Dual Peppy placed in his ‘forever home’
A champion cutter horse that became the face of a animal cruelty case out of Black Forest has been placed in his “forever home.”
Last September, Dual Peppy and nine other horses were found living among rotting horse carcasses in a barn in Black Forest. KRDO NewsChannel 13’s was there as a neighbor lifted up tarps to reveal decaying animals, nestled among horses who appeared to be starving.
Dual Peppy and the other horses were taken to a horse rescue while a jury decided the fate of their owner, Sherri Brunzell.
Brunzell was found guilty on eight counts of animal cruelty and acquitted on six others. Brunzell was sentenced last month to 60 days in jail and five years of supervised probation. Brunzell is not allowed to own or care for horses or any other livestock while on probation.
The animals were transferred to Blue Rose Ranch and it was up to the owners to find them new homes.
Owner Cheryl Webb said it took a lot of time, education and research to find the right home for Dual Peppy. She said there were a lot of offers on the table, but she wanted to make sure the animal went to a perfect home.
“Dual Peppy is going to be retired, he is going to have all of his medical needs met for the rest of his life. He is going to have absolute love and attention every day,” said Webb.
Texas rancher C.T. Babcock is disappointed in the Webbs’ decision on a new home for Dual Peppy. Babcock helped facilitate the sale of Dual Peppy to Sherri Brunzell, having no idea it would go so terribly wrong. Since then, Babcock said he’s fought to get Dual Peppy back to provide him the loving home he’s deserved all along.
“Blue Rose Ranch has totally blown off my letters,” said Babcock. “They completely ignored me.”
Babcock traveled to Colorado ahead of Brunzell’s sentencing to try to meet with those who would be in charge of choosing the horse’s new home.
He said rumors circulated online and in the support group for Dual Peppy and it ultimately ruined his chances of adopting the horse. He said people accused his family of not being in support of adopting the animal. He also said he never had any intention of breeding Dual Peppy, and only wanted to give him a happy place to spend the remainder of his days.
“I have never backed down. And for all this stuff to be smeared about me here at the end of it, is ridiculous, when all I have done is put up the good fight,” said Babcock.
Webb said the names of Dual Peppy’s new owners will be kept anonymous so the horse can live out his final days out of the spotlight and in peace.
