FLORIDA -- "I cried her name, I said, 'Mary, Mary -- how could they do this to you?'" says a sobbing Cheryl Pence.
She's talking about Mary, an Arabian mare she used to own. She saw Mary again Thursday afternoon, right before she died.
"Deplorable, emaciated, there's really not a term for it -- it's beyond emaciation," says Animal Control Officer Terry Funderburk of the horse's condition.
The horse's owner, Tammi Kampman, was arrested and faces an animal cruelty charge. A vet says the mare's teeth were so uncared for, that she could not physically eat.
"It had no way to process the food put in front of it," explains Animal Control Supervisor Lora Peckham. "It literally starved to death, because of a lack of medical care."
"It had no way to process the food put in front of it," explains Animal Control Supervisor Lora Peckham. "It literally starved to death, because of a lack of medical care."
The arrest report indicates that over the past year people in this rural neighborhood, including other horse owners, had offered to help the family. And Pence, who had given the family Mary four years ago so their girls could ride, begged to get Mary back.
"I said, 'but if you can't take care of her, I can take her back. I'm happy to take her back; I love this horse,'" Pence says.
But according to Citrus County Animal Control, no one called them to report the neglected horse.
Some residents told investigators they didn't want to cause hard feelings in the neighborhood and Pence thought someone else had picked up the phone.
[So Mrs. Pence 'begged' the owner to give Mary back to them, but when the owner refused to give/sell Mary back to her, she NEVER BOTHERED TO CALL ANIMAL CONTROL!!!!]
When 10 News knocked on the mobile home's door today, we were told to go away, so we don't know why this horse was allowed to suffer for so long. However, we did see several cars at the house and a bass boat out back.
"She took no action to get a vet on property," said Peckham.
Yet, because there isn't an indication of "intentional abuse", Peckham explained that state law allows only a misdemeanor charge. Kampman bonded out of jail on Thursday [Her bond amount was a pathetic $500].
Mary was so far gone she had to be euthanized and her former owner is now left with photographs of better days and a gnawing guilt.
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| Mary before she was starved to death |
"She's in horse heaven and she's not suffering," says Pence. "But I will never do that again. I will never give away a horse again."
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| Mary had to be euthanized where she lay dying |
Animal Control Officers say it's important for people to officially report animal abuse or neglect. And if owners find themselves in a situation where they don't have the money, time, or will to properly care for animal, officials urge owners to ask county agencies or area rescue groups for help.
(WTSP - Aug 3, 2013)
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