Not All Horse Theft Is Criminal

Why NetPosse Becomes Involved in Select Civil Cases

Stolen Horse International, also known as NetPosse, is widely recognized for assisting with missing, stolen, and at-risk horses. Through decades of case experience, we have learned that many equine losses do not begin as obvious criminal thefts. Instead, they often occur through civil statutes and legal gray areas that can be misunderstood, misapplied, or intentionally exploited.

This is why NetPosse selectively becomes involved in certain civil cases.

The Civil Law Loophole in Equine Losses

Civil statutes—such as agister’s liens, boarding disputes, contract disagreements, and possession claims—are frequently used in equine-related cases because they are:

• More difficult to prove than criminal theft
• Expensive for victims to challenge
• Slow-moving, allowing horses to be transferred, sold, hidden, or relocated
• Often resolved without ever reaching a courtroom

In some situations, civil claims are used not to resolve a legitimate dispute, but to retain or obtain control of a horse while avoiding criminal scrutiny. Once possession changes hands, recovery becomes significantly more difficult—even when misconduct is present.

Why Most of These Cases Never Go to Court

Many victims simply cannot afford prolonged civil litigation. Attorney fees, court costs, expert testimony, travel, and lost income quickly add up. As a result:

• Victims are often forced to abandon their claims
• Horses may be sold, transferred, or disappear
• No judge ever evaluates the full set of facts
• This reality allows civil processes to be used as leverage, rather than as a path to fair resolution.

Why NetPosse Steps In

NetPosse is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Our role in selective civil cases is to:

• Identify patterns where civil statutes may be misused in equine cases
• Document timelines, possession changes, and inconsistencies
• Support victims who are isolated, overwhelmed, or financially exhausted
• Educate the public, law enforcement, and industry professionals about how these cases unfold
• Help prevent further harm, including repeat behavior affecting multiple victims

Our focus is accountability, transparency, and equine welfare—not litigation.

Protecting Horses in Legal Gray Areas

When civil law is used as a shield to avoid criminal investigation—or as a tool to obtain horses through legal gray areas—the horses themselves are placed at risk. NetPosse becomes involved when:

• There is a pattern of concerning behavior
• A horse’s welfare, location, or ownership is being obscured
• A victim lacks the resources to stand alone

These cases are not about choosing sides. They are about ensuring civil statutes are not misused to silence victims, bypass scrutiny, or permanently separate horses from lawful ownership.

Our Commitment

NetPosse exists to protect horses and the people connected to them—especially when traditional systems fall short. Selective involvement in civil cases is one way we fulfill that mission responsibly, ethically, and with long-standing experience in equine loss cases across the country.