Use of Names in Public Alerts and Social Media

Official Statement: Use of Names in Public Alerts

Stolen Horse International operates with a strict policy regarding the use of names in our public alerts and case files. We will not use or publish the name of any individual unless that name, and associated case details, are already present in public documents, such as official law enforcement records, court filings, or publicly available news articles from established media outlets.

We adhere to this policy to ensure accuracy and to respect privacy rights unless the information is already part of the public domain via official channels. Furthermore, if individuals who are not named in our initial reporting choose to identify themselves publicly within comment sections or associated forums, we permit those interactions to continue, allowing the public to interact with the voluntarily provided information. Our goal is to facilitate the safe recovery of missing horses while maintaining ethical reporting standards.

What types of public documents justify naming people?

Stolen Horse International uses names in public alerts only when justified by the following types of official public documents and sources:

• Official Law Enforcement Records: Documents generated by police departments, sheriff's offices, or other law enforcement agencies, such as:
  
  • Arrest Warrants
  • Arrest Affidavits
  • Incident Reports (if names are publicly released)
  • Booking Information/Jail Records 
• Court Filings and Documents: Records available through the court system, including:
  
  • Criminal Complaints 
  • Indictments
  • Court Dockets and Transcripts 
• Plea Agreements or Sentencing Orders
• Publicly Available News Articles: Information already published by established and reputable news outlets that have themselves cited official sources or law enforcement statements [1].

These sources are considered part of the public domain and provide verifiable justification for including a name in an alert.

Updated 12/12/2025