Video: WTSP TV cameras expose Florida horse rescue with animal cruelty complaints

TAMPA- WTSP Channel 10 News aired a Special Report on Thursday night that placed an unfavorable light on the Domino Effect Rescue Ranch in Weeki Wachee, Florida. Within minutes of the broadcast, the owners of Domino Effect, Bob and Dinnelle Ashcraft, began posting threats against Emmy Award winning reporter, Mike Deeson, for "broadcast lies," and threatened him. "You will be held accountable for these lies," Domino Effect said.

The WTSP News Special Report focused on complaints of animal cruelty at Domino Effect Ranch, the underfeeding of 'rescued' horses, and Ashcraft's charity fundraising license, which was revoked by the State of Florida in January after it was discovered that Ashcraft "lied on his application."

Ashcraft said he didn't understand the question on his fundraising application license that asked if he had "any felony" convictions in the past 10 years. Not only does Ashcraft have a 2011 conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, his criminal history goes back to 1982 with convictions for smuggling, larceny, drug possession, burglary, dealing in stolen property, grand theft, and probation violations.

Additional complaints filed against Domino Effect Ranch include issues with Ashcraft's "adoption contract," which he uses to try to take back horses he has sold, without returning the fee he collected, claiming that the new owners no longer have suitable homes for the horses.

Other complaints involve misrepresentation. Some of the horses sold by Domino Effect have proven to be considerably older than stated by Ashcraft at the time of the sale.

Florida's Hernando County Animal Services began inspections at Domino Effect ranch last November, when a series of news reports of wrong-doing began to surface. However, the county has not taken any significant action on the multitude of complaints against Domino Effect ranch.

Hernando County Animal Services manager, Liana Teague and her staff of kennel workers and Animal Control Officers, are currently under investigation by the county for "incompetence," since an 8 month old dog was quickly declared "unadoptable" and killed by the facility, just 15 minutes after arriving at the shelter on April 13, 2012.

Watch the WTSP video on Domino Effect ranch "Horse charity trouble"