Humane Society of Sandusky County Officer Kelly Askins said she was called out to the property at 4360 Napoleon Road on Thursday night after receiving a report of an injured donkey.
Property owner Jenny Secrist (aka Virginia Secrist) admitted to dragging the donkey behind a tractor down a gravel road, Askins said. The humane officer estimated the donkey, which suffered severe cuts and abrasions on one side, was dragged for nearly a mile.
"She just dragged him the rest of the way," Askins said. "She stood right there and told me what she did to it. It's just old-school mentality."
Askins said this and previous actions by the owner of 14 animals led the agency to seize them all from the Napoleon Road property yesterday. She said some of the other goats, horses and other animals on the property also were suffering from neglect.
"It's just a general all-over neglect," Askins said.
Joanne McDowell, board president of the Humane Society of Sandusky County, said the mistreatment of the donkey led to the decision to seize all the woman's livestock.
"This donkey was pretty cruelly treated last night and she fears for the other animals," McDowell said.
"It seems like there is kind of an ongoing problem. Rather than see this happen again, she went and got the search warrant."
Marc Wayland-Smith, another animal cruelty investigator for the humane society, said the kind of animal neglect at Secrist's property is all to common.
"In this particular case, I think the lady is just overwhelmed," Wayland-Smith said.
Secrist has, in the past, operated a business providing horse-drawn sleigh and carriage rides at the annual Christmas event at the Hayes Presidential Center and at other community events.
Sandusky County Common Pleas Court Judge John Dewey signed Askins' search warrant affidavit Friday, giving the officer permission to seize all the animals from Jenny Secrist's property.
The humane officer said Secrist could face criminal charges of animal cruelty and neglect, though none have yet been filed.
The owner was not home this afternoon as humane society staff and volunteers arrived and posted a copy of the search warrant on her door.
The staff and volunteers then began an inventory of the animals and started loading each into the trailers of about five other property owners who have volunteered to foster the animals temporarily.
"Sandusky County large animal people, I just can't say enough good about them," Askins said.
Seized from the property Friday were six miniature donkeys, four goats, three horses and one sheep.
Askins said she has been on Secrist's property investigating animal neglect in the past. She said she bought a malnourished horse from the woman a few weeks ago in an attempt to properly care for the animal.
"We have had an ongoing investigation over last month," Askins said. "She was trying to cooperate."
The incident with the donkey Thursday, she said, left her no other option than to pursue criminal charges.
"I have to go after her for that," Askins said.
A Sandusky County Sheriff deputy responded to the home at 9:17 p.m. Thursday after Askins reported Secrist was threatening her while she attempted to investigate the matter.
The donkey had an appointment with a veterinarian later in the day Friday.
"I don't know if he'll ever have the use of that eye again," Askins said. "It's pretty severe. But I don't think it will kill him."
(TheNews-Messenger - July 28, 2012)
