Woman gets 5 years probation for animal cruelty

OHIO -- A Guilford Township woman who pleaded guilty to neglecting more than two dozen horses and donkeys was fined $250 and placed on five years probation Wednesday.

Wadsworth Municipal Judge Stephen B. McIlvaine also barred Tori Wilfred “from owning, keeping or living on premises with any equines.”

McIlvaine suspended two 30-day jail sentences.

Wilfred, 43, of 3835 Blake Road, was charged after the Medina County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals executed a search warrant April 11 at her 6.8-acre property.



One of the 29 starving horses rescued.
Photo: Holland & Muirden, Attorneys at Law

The Veterinarian who examined the equines described the scene as a “free for all” and observed thin horses covered with lice, suffering from severe rain rot, standing in mud soaked pastures, breeding freely, and in need of hoof and other veterinary care. The Veterinarian noted that the horses were “so itchy that several stood head to tail chewing and scratching each other for 20-30 minutes at a time.”

Animal welfare groups recommend properties should have between one and two acres per horse.

Medina SPCA Executive Director Stephanie Moore said one of the horses had a fractured jaw and one was blind. Others had lice, internal parasites or blood problems.

Moore said the horses and donkeys will be sold or put up for adoption. She said many of the horses already have been placed in approved homes.

The search also found several cats with feline leukemia, all but one of which were euthanized, Moore said.

On May 1, Wilfred entered pleas to one count of animal cruelty relating to neglect of 29 equines and one count of companion animal cruelty relating to neglect of 9 cats.

She originally was charged with 11 counts of animal cruelty, but prosecutors dropped nine of the counts in exchange for her guilty plea.

“We’re comfortable with that, that’s what we had asked for,” Moore said. “We asked her to plead guilty to two counts and we’d drop the other counts.”

[Twenty-nine horses suffered for months and the District Attorney's Office says they're "comfortable" with lumping them all together into just 1 count of cruelty. The nine cats suffered for months and the District Attorney's Office says they're "comfortable" with lumping them into 1 count of cruelty. Seriously, the justice system is a complete joke.]

Wilfred was permitted to keep her remaining animals while on probation. Moore said she has about 14 dogs, four goats, two pot-bellied pigs and a cat.

Wilfred must have all of them examined by a veterinarian within 30 days and provide the veterinary records to the SPCA.

She also must provide information regarding the health and care of the animals and consent to random, unannounced inspections of her property to ensure compliance, according to the sentencing report.

Wilfred also will be required to pay a probation fee of $15 per month.

“We had been working with her since 2009, and we’re trying to work with her to reduce her herd and get the fencing she needed,” Moore said. “I really do think in the beginning she had the right intentions. She just wasn’t equipped.”

(Medina-Gazette - May 30, 2013)

Earlier:

• Owner: "People are going to watch this and say I'm a horrible person"