Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Flood Law has filed a civil rights suit in Oakland County Circuit Court on behalf of High Vibe Trail Rides owner Lucille Ptasznik and her business.

It names Oakland County, two Animal Control officers, Horses’ Haven and its executive director, Kristine Dvonch.

The lawsuit comes after the Milford-based business had its horses seized in August and returned in September.

The complaint alleges:

• The County’s own findings were left out of the warrants. A County officer found the horses in good shape on July 16. On July 30, a licensed vet scored 35 of 37 in the normal range (the other two were already on management plans). Neither finding appears in the warrant affidavits.

• An officer predicted the seizure before any warrant existed. On Aug. 4, she told her ex-boyfriend the County was “going to take the horses from Lucie.” She admitted entering the property without permission, then texted him to stay quiet “or its my job.”

• The warrants relied on an expert with an undisclosed conflict. Kristine Dvonch had never examined the horses. She runs Horses’ Haven, the rescue that took custody of the horses and solicited public donations for them.

• The County demanded $63,478.60 within 14 days or the herd would be forfeited. Of that, $46,828.60 was a flat “intake cost” of $1,265.64 per horse. The County never explained what the costs covered. At the County’s own daily rate, 21 days of care would have cost $11,655.

• One horse, Knox, was euthanized without notice to his owner. The County’s own records called the gelding “sound on examination” on Aug. 24. Neither the County nor Horses’ Haven have explained his illness or who decided to euthanize him, or produced his necropsy report.

• High Vibe Trail Rides lost its herd during riding season. It could not operate for 21 days. It lost contracts with FanDuel, Barefoot and Free Festival, and Oakland County Parks and Recreation. Its Kensington Metropark permits were revoked until about Sept. 8.

WHMI News has reached out to Horses' Haven for comment, but have yet to hear back.

The stamped complaint is attached below.