The deaths look unintentional, caused by a kink in the line that blocked the flow of water to the animals’ pasture near Magna, according to authorities.
Shamus Haws, 39, was charged Thursday with 11 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. He did not immediately return calls for comment, and no attorney was listed for him in court records.
Ten horses were found dead July 18. Another was severely dehydrated but survived.
It wasn’t immediately clear why the horses were housed at the field about 15 miles west of Salt Lake City, but Salt Lake County Prosecutor Sim Gill said Haws has a business raising horses.
The animals were typically watered from a line that ran from a nearby house to their pasture, Gill said. The animals went without water for up to five days during the hottest part of the year before they were found, he said.
Temperatures at the time were close to 100 degrees.
Gill considered filing felony charges, but he said an investigation by Unified Police and the Utah Veterinary Lab showed negligence rather than intentional harm.
“You can’t just assume when you’re taking care of live animals. You need to make sure the water was getting where it need to get,” Gill said.
The 11 misdemeanor charges carry of a possible penalty of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 each.
(CBS Local-Sep 26, 2014)
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