Ron Benore, an assistant Monroe County prosecutor, said a husband and wife will each face a felony count of neglect and animal cruelty punishable by up to two years in jail and $2,000 in fines. In addition, they will each face a misdemeanor count of failure to dispose of an animal carcass for an additional dead pony that was found frozen in a paddock.
The owners’ names will not be released until the charges have been signed by a magistrate, Mr. Benore said, but the couple will be charged.
Mr. Benore said the evidence from the Thursday seizure by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office showed a lack of food and water for the horses at the self-care boarding stables southwest of Carleton. The stables are rented, but the landlord does not provide daily care for tenants’ animals.
“It was [the owners’] responsibility to care for them,” he said.
The horses apparently had been eating wood from their stables in an attempt to sustain themselves. They also appeared to be suffering from a general lack of care, including matted fur and tails and overgrown hooves. One horse has a severe bacterial hoof infection called thrush, while another is missing a shoe.
The stables themselves also appeared unclean with layers of frozen feces, and there was no bedding available for the horses.
“The stables were in bad condition,” he said. “It really appeared as if someone had not been checking on them in some time.”
An officer with the animal control division of the sheriff’s office had visited the property in early February after the self-care boarding stable owner reported concerns.
The horses were kept in a section of stables that sheriff’s Sgt. Greg Berman said no one would be walking through unless they were there specifically for those horses.
“They appeared to be OK, though one was a little on the thin side,” Sergeant Berman said, noting the officer did not see the pony that was found dead. “They were given suggestions on how to improve the caloric intake and about the Michigan hay bank if they needed help getting hay.”
But when he saw the photos Feb. 18, he realized the horses’ state had declined rapidly and obtained a search warrant. The only food found was a partial bag of wild game grain, which is not suitable for horses. The only water, which Sergeant Berman said the landlord had provided to the horses the night before, was frozen.
Starry Skies Equine Rescue and Sanctuary in Ann Arbor assisted in the seizure and are caring for the appaloosa, Arabian, thoroughbred, palomino, and quarter horse. The Michigan Horse Welfare Coalition also assisted.
Neither organization could be reached Tuesday for comment, though updates on the horses are being posted on the rescue’s Facebook page.
“They are going to be beautiful horses when they are filled back out,” Sergeant Berman said. He noted the department was told the thoroughbred is a former track horse.
As of Tuesday, the couple’s arraignment had not been scheduled.
An online fund-raiser has been established to help pay for the horses’ c
are at gofundme.com/muyhrk.
(Toledo Blade - Feb 25, 2015)
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