Wells Fargo foreclosed on a Rhode Island shelter for abandoned animals, barred former owner Dan MacKenzie from entering the property, and seems to be just letting the animals fend for themselves, the Providence Journal reports.

MacKenzie is seeking a restraining order to make the bank take care of the animals. Richard C. Dujardin writes:

Tuesday, RISPCA president Dr. Ernest Finocchio confirmed some of MacKenzie’s fears, saying that the bank said it didn’t want the organization’s help. When he visited the site Tuesday, he said that at least some of the animals — eight horses and two 800-pound pigs — had not been given any water even though he had been told that they had.

The buckets next to each stall were still empty in mid-afternoon, and little pointers he had placed on the doors to show whether the stalls were opened were found to be undisturbed, he said. But the clearest sign that the horses had not been watered was when he took a five-gallon bucket and placed it in front of each horse.

Seven of the eight horses drank up the water with no hesitation, an indication to him that they had not been given any water in a long time. He and Joseph Warycha, RISPCA’s animal cruelty officer, gave each horse a bucket of water and some hay.

Great job on handling this, Wells Fargo. Whatever you’re saving by not ensuring these animals are looked after isn’t worth the public image fallout.

UPDATE: Wells Fargo has stepped up to help secure care for the animals.

Glocester farmer, evicted in foreclosure, seeks to compel care for animals [Providence Journal]
(Thanks, Jon!)

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