Praying to find our big son Bugs and know that he is safe and hopefully bring him home. $1,000 Reward now a part of the search
Read Bugs' story and our efforts below
Searching for Bugs Moran
ABOUT BUGS:
Bugs & Our Story
ABOUT BUGS:
Our Story:
Me, Jeff Moran, and my Fiance, Julia Williamson, (more about us below) owned Bugs for several years after he was medically retired from hitch competitions due to issues breathing and multiple surgeries trying to prolong his career. I started him under saddle and trained him and he became a beloved member of my family and even my community. Bugs has a personality bigger than he is and I have a larger reach in the outdoor industry and he had his own fan base because of his shenanigans' and the life him and I shared together. Bugs even was the key part of me meeting my now fiancé and he means the world to us. He was such an influence that I allowed Bugs to meet any other horse I was interested in buying and if he did not like them then they didn't make the cut. Eventually I bought a beautiful blue roan spotted draft mare and the two of them were inseparable.
In 2022 my life essentially crashed. I lost my job, my side business had issues with inventory and I had no income for 8 straight months. I lost the place I lived, and had to sell nearly everything I owned. Life beat me down yet again and I made one of the hardest decisions of my life and that was to sell Bugs to keep my life above water. It broke my heart in ways I cannot explain and I was embarrassed life had fallen that far. I spent months turning down offers for him to not only find him the right home, but a home that would agree to multiple purchase stipulations. I kept holding out hope life would change and I could keep him but no such luck and finally I found what I believed to be the right home.
I had counsel oversee a contract that had an enforceable ROFR, meaning the person was under contract to sell Bugs back to me if anything heppened, as well as a clause that he could never be sent to auction, and I had to make sure his medical conditions were properly cared for. The woman I placed him with would use him for weddings and funerals, and his main job would be to be an arena saddle horse for her 12 yr old daughter. Through it all I maintained that if he would not work, I would get him back and pay what was needed to do so. She signed everything to back up her promises. I was told I could visit Bugs whenever I wanted and she would keep me up to date with him and how he was doing with her daughter and what events he would be in. Even though I felt good about where he was going it was one of the hardest things I have ever done and I hate myself every day for putting him on that trailer even though I truly had no option.
As promised, she kept me in the loop with how he was and said the daughter was so excited to work with Bugs. Every month or so I checked in and was always told he was good and sent pictures. At the turn of this year, just over a year since he went there, she told me that her young daughter was riding him and they would be in events coming up and she would let me know. We have been planning trips to see him and we were proud of him. I still hurt deeply that he was not with us and constantly wanted to ask to get him back, but I never did because I was not going to get in the way of a young girl and her dreams.
About a month ago I reached out and asked how Bugs was and I got no reply from the woman. Then a few days ago we had talked about when we could go out to visit him so I asked again how he was and wanted to see what events him and the girl were scheduled to be in. Finally the woman replied and stated that they weren't able to drive him like she wanted and that she spent months finding him a good home and she had sold him!
Bugs was not medically able to drive and yet that is actually what she was doing with him. She refused to tell me anything about who had him and lied about it. My fiancé and I have large reaches in the community and we posted searching for him and found out the girl never rode him and that was made up. Within an hour we had our hearts broken even more in that the woman sent him to the Boone County Draft & Mule auction in Sedalia, Missouri and listed him as grade and did not disclose his medical conditions or history, in which he could actually die if he was worked too hard or under carriage too long.
I reached out to the auction house about this and apparently the woman used to own the auction and because of that, they were not willing to help me even though I have a well documented legal contract in an enforceable state, in which there were multiple breaches of contract. On top of that, not disclosing his medial records goes against Missouri Horse Councils Welfare code and practices. Bugs was sold March 4, 2024 or within a day or two. He would have had to be consigned there by mid January and she never contacted us. He was listed as grade without his papers. Bugs is microchipped with all of his information and medical history and that was kept from the sale.
We are not being told who has Bugs or allowed contact with who may have him. [UPDATE] We have heard that he may be with a youth camp or other riding program in Missouri. Believed to be a 501 3C organization.
We want our horse back and never got the chance that is our legal right to bring him home to our family and help us live out our dreams and prayers with him and raise a family. Our desire is to at least have a continued relationship with Bugs Moran, and if a 501 3C really has him we have a lot to offer in terms of training, exposure, donations and more if we could just find and talk to the people who have him!
We are desperately searching for him and we believe he is in Missouri still but we have no idea. We believe in compassion, handshakes, and a person's word and we believe that someone will do the right thing here and help us reunite with our big son. We love and miss him so much and our hearts are sick over what has happened.
If you would like to help and get updated on the search and what is going on, the button below will take you to our GoFundMe page where we are in need of help to continue to market, cover legal costs, and maintain the search and expenses to travel to pick up Bugs and bring him home! Every donation is appreciated beyond words. Thank you all for your help.
If you have any info regarding Bugs please let us know or find him on the NetPosse Link to submit info. We currently are offering a $1,000 reward for info of his location and contact info for the organization or people who have him.
Please contact us using the form below or at:
Email: jm@bootlegranch.com
Text: 307-239-8205
Text: 951-442-6636
You can also reach us on our social accounts by clicking the photos below:
FOLLOW THE NETPOSSE INFORMATION AND LINKS BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL HELP AND REWARD INFO IF YOU HAVE DETAILS ON WHERE WE CAN FIND BUGS
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