The office said its Animal Crimes Unit was called on Thursday night to the Rio Verde area at North 144th Street, in North Scottsdale, to investigate several horses at a boarding facility which appeared emaciated.
They found seven horses that appeared to be 300 to 400 pounds underweight and severely malnourished. One of them had to be euthanized.
The other six were taken into custody for treatment.
According to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives, the horse’s owner, Michelle Salazar, 51, was unable to be located that evening, but faces a number of animal cruelty charges. It is understood she rents space at the boarding facility.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Animal Crimes Unit detectives had been called to the property previously over the same horses and, although Salazar initially co-operated with detectives, has not been helpful for the past several months.
The horses were all scored on a scale from one to nine by a veterinarian, one being the worst condition. Seven of horses were scored with a two or worse, indicating immediate medical care was needed.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio said he took animal cruelty and neglect seriously and said his office would continue to crack down on these types of crimes.
One report suggested Salazar owned roughly half of the 40 or so horses at the stable.
(Horsetalk - July 1, 2012)
UPDATE TO STORY - JULY 6, 2012:
A woman in Arizona has been arrested and charged with two felony and four misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty over her alleged treatment of horses in her care.
Michelle Meyer Salazar, 51, turned herself in to authorities on Tuesday.
The charges arose after Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies found seven horses boarded at her ranch in northeast Scottsdale on June 28. They had been looking for her since.
Local reports indicate one horse was euthanized that night and two others were euthanized after being taken to a veterinarian’s clinic.
Four other horses required extensive treatment.
Deputies described the seized horses as being in poor condition.
