Jefferson City — A Victorville, California couple is searching for their retired carriage horse, sold at an auction in mid-Missouri in March of 2024 without their permission.
The couple spent months trying to find the perfect home for their 6-foot-4, 2,200-pound Percheron after they hit hard times after COVID-19.
"I turned down 30 to 40 people who tried to buy him. Several people wanted him to be a carriage horse, and we did not want that for him. Eventually, a lady found me. She knew many people in the carriage industry. The big reason I wanted to place him there was because I had a bunch of stipulations: he couldn’t be sold unless he came back to us, he couldn't be sold at auction, and his medical conditions would be taken care of," said previous owner Jeff Moran.
A woman in mid-Missouri agreed to buy Bugs, their black Percheron horse, and abide by their stipulations.
Moran said the buyer even agreed to let the couple visit Bugs, who has Roaring, a medical condition that reduces airflow during exercise.
"She owned a business related to these horses in Missouri, and her daughter competed in local fairs and events. She told us Bugs would be going with her daughter because of how well he was trained and bred, and how fancy he was," Moran explained.
According to Moran, the buyer initially kept in touch, sending updates and videos of bugs, but then she ghosted the couple.
"She sent us videos and updates, and we talked to her around Christmas. She told us her daughter would be competing with Bugs this year. We were excited about visiting. Then, in late March we reached out to see what the schedule was, and we were ignored," said Moran.
After multiple attempts, the buyer finally responded, saying Bugs had been sold in the Boone County Draft Horse and Mule Auction, which violated the contract she signed, which stated:
"Buyer agrees to give the seller the first right of refusal to purchase the horse if the buyer offers the horse for sale at any time in the future."
Moran and Williamson turned to social media, hoping to find their beloved horse.
The couple is offering a $1,000 reward for any information on Bugs' whereabouts.
"We just want to know if he’s doing well. Do the people know what he needs medically and what he can and can’t do? Of course, we’d love to bring him home. We are more than willing to compensate. We would buy him back for full price," expressed Julia Williamson, Moran's fiance.
Bugs is all black, bleaching out to a dapple bay in the summer, with a small star on his forehead and one short white sock on his back right leg.
The white sock has two black dots, one on the inside and one on the outside of his hoof.
Moran is asking anyone who knows of Bug's whereabouts to contact him at Bootlegranch.com
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