Marjatta Lavin, owner of Skyland Arabians farm, also assured prosecutors during court proceedings on Tuesday that she would not own any horses for a period of time.
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| This woman is NOT elderly - she is 64 years old. When you say elderly, you think of some frail, little old woman in her 80s-90s |
Prosecutors said they could have sought reimbursement for the horses’ care, but chose not to, “doubting Mrs. Lavin’s ability to pay.”
Under the agreement, Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society in West Windsor retained ownership of the 23 horses, according to a news release from the organization. They have been caring for the horses since their seizure from Skyland Arabians in November. The horses have been lodged at Green Mountain Horse Association’s Upwey Barn in South Woodstock, and are all up for adoption.
Lavin’s attorney, Daniel Stevens, said his client hopes to reach out to her friends and contacts in the Arabian horse community to aid in the search for homes for the horses.
“This incident was emotionally devastating for her,” Stevens said. Attempts to reach Lavin on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Lavin has raised (bred) Arabian horses for more than 25 years, and when her husband died in 2011, she continued to raise the horses at the farm, Stevens said.
Woodstock police executed a welfare check of the horses in November and found several with their ribs showing. Police later cited Lavin on animal cruelty charges.
Jeanne Matos, president of Lucy Mackenzie’s board of trustees, said the humane society is “tremendously pleased” with the agreement.
“(It) will now ensure that these beautiful horses will have the opportunity to live out their lives as they deserve — with a dependable supply of adequate food, water, shelter, care and love,” Matos said in the release.
Matos said in a phone interview that the humane society has been paying for the care of the horses through a steady stream of donations, and that several volunteers have stepped up to care for the horses.
Eight of the 23 horses have been accepted into foster homes by families that hope to permanently adopt them. The humane society is still seeking homes for the remaining 15 Arabian horses, Matos said, noting that the organization is facing a pressing deadline.
Green Mountain Horse Association, an equine competition and equestrian education site, starts its season soon, and will need their stables for incoming horses.
Tuesday’s resolution came less than a day before a scheduled two-day hearing where prosecutors were set to call witnesses to the stand in an attempt to force Lavin to forfeit ownership of the horses and pay for costs incurred.
Police had initially cited Lavin with 23 counts of animal cruelty, but prosecutors only pursued charges related to the 10 horses who ranked lowest on the veterinarians’ physique assessments.
According to police, indicators of neglect included a skin condition known as “rain rot,” overgrown hooves, dull coats, dehydration and other illnesses and injuries. Lavin had a 24th horse, but it was euthanized.
Lavin, whose late husband Edward Lavin was the CEO of a major telecommunications company, previously owned at least four properties in town, according to Woodstock’s 2013 grand list.
She now owns two, according to town officials and tax records: a commercial property at 61 Central St., assessed at $475,400, and the 91-acre farm on Skyland Lane in South Woodstock, assessed at nearly $1.9 million.
Ahh, here we see the reason that this 'elderly woman' was let off the hook. She has deep pockets full of money and has probably contributed a LOT of money to the local district attorney and/or mayor. Corruption in government is the worst kind. Would some poor person who did this to these horses have been given such a deal? Absolutely not.
Anyone interested in adopting, donating or volunteering should contact Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society at 802-484-5829 or visit www.lucymac.com.
(VNews - Feb 26, 2015)
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