Police responded to the Adirondack Equine Center at 776 County Route 18 in Lake Clear and checked the conditions of 40 horses there, State Police said.
That scale "is a scientific method of evaluating a horse’s body condition regardless of breed, body type, sex or age," according to the Habitat For Horses website.
"When we first walked into the barn, we had five horses in that barn. One of them was very thin (and) had noticeable bone structure. It was an elderly horse, about 40 years old. Another horse was missing an eye," said New York State Police Trooper Wendy House. "He was blind in the other. There were two mini ponies in one stall. All the horses were standing in at least one week to two weeks' worth of feces. We did not observe any hay or grain in any of their stalls or water. Some (horses had) very little teeth and others with teeth that needed to be floated."
Officials made the gruesome discovery earlier this week after they said a 16-year-old girl tipped them off.
"She was familiar with the ranch and the horses. The condition of the horses was deemed criminal," House said.
A search warrant lead police to seize eight horses and arrest their owner Travis DeValinger. He was charged with eight misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.
ANIMAL CRUELTY
During the investigation, eight of the horses "were found to be emaciated and living in extremely poor conditions," police said.
State Police charged the horse owner, Travis S. DeValinger, 44, of Lake Clear, with eight counts of animal cruelty, a misdemeanor, under State Agriculture and Markets Law.
He was issued tickets ordering him to appear in Harrietstown Town Court on Monday, Dec. 18.
The Franklin and Essex county sheriff's offices and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals assisted State Police.
This case remains under investigation.
FIGHTING CHARGES
Reached by phone Thursday, Mr. DeValinger said he is going to fight the charges.
"The truth will come out," he said, [claiming] that he has cared for the horses and given them the best food possible, hay and water.
Joyce Mace, who runs Emerald Springs Ranch LLC in Saranac Lake, said you will not find a kinder, more gentle person than Mr. DeValinger.
"He is a wonderful person who has defended everything that he comes in contact with, people or animals."
NUMEROUS NAMES FOR BUSINESS
State Police Troop B Public Information Officer Trooper Jennifer Fleishman said the Adirondack Equine Center operates under numerous names including:
ADK WildHorse Camp
XTC Ranch (Lake Placid)
Horse Camp for Girls
Lake Placid Horseback Riding
Saddleback Horse Camp (Lake Placid)
Lake Placid Sleigh Rides
Adirondack Equine Center
Adirondack Equine Center and Horse Rescue
Mr. DeValinger co-owns the business with his wife, Natalia B. DeValinger, 33, who resides in Lake Placid.
ASSAULT PLEA
Earlier this year, Mr. DeValinger faced charges of second-degree aggravated sexual assault, a felony, along with misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief, third-degree assault and criminal obstruction of breathing out of Harrietstown Town Court, Clerk Sabrina Harrison said.
He later pleaded guilty to the assault charge and was sentenced to three years of probation, which he is accused of violating.
He is due back in court for that charge Jan. 8.
In January 2012, State Police charged Mr. DeValinger, then of Keeseville, with two counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument, a felony, after an investigation allegedly revealed he had forged signatures on paperwork filed with a Champlain tractor-sales business, the Press-Republican reported then.
About four years earlier, when he was living in Saranac Lake, Village Police there charged him with third-degree grand larceny, a felony, for reportedly providing a check to a local bank when he didn't have the funds to cover it.
Police Log: Jan. 21, 2012 — Felony arrestWIFE CHARGED
Press-Republican Jan 21, 2012
A Keeseville man faces a forgery charge.
Plattsburgh-based State Police received a forgery report at 3:12 p.m. on March 20.
As a result of a police investigation, Travis S. deValinger, 37, of Keeseville, was arrested at 9:48 a.m. Tuesday on Mace Chasm Road.
Police said the investigation involved forged signatures on paperwork filed with a local tractor sales business in Champlain, but the investigation is still ongoing.
DeValinger was charged with two counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument.
He was arraigned in Chesterfield Town Court and remanded to Essex County Jail on $10,000 cash bail.
He is due back in court on Jan. 23.
Mr. DeValinger's wife, Natalia DeValinger, now faces similar charges.
On Nov. 19, Mrs. DeValinger was charged with third-degree grand larceny after allegedly defrauding a Catskill man out of $10,047. He had booked a two-week-long camp experience at ADK WildHorse Camp but had canceled the trip and requested a refund, Fleishman said earlier.
She was arraigned in Harrietstown Town Court and sent to Franklin County Jail on $8,000 cash bail/$16,000 bond, and was released two days later.
She is due back in court Monday, Dec. 11.
VIDEO NEWS CLIP:
Earlier:
For save our natural beauty we need to be so more aware about animal. Otherwise we have to lost balance to live in here. So for this New York Warrants Search work for make so more aware in the people.
ReplyDelete