BOYLE COUNTY, KY AUGUST

10 malnourished horses found in Boyle

By Greg Kocher - gkocher1@herald-leader.com

Kentucky State Police are investigating the case of 10 malnourished horses that were found Monday in Boyle County.
The horses were seized and taken to sites inside and outside Boyle County, said Dan Turcea, director of Boyle County Animal Control.

No one had been charged as of Wednesday afternoon, Turcea said.

State police received a tip that the horses were in a barn at 3316 Gentry Lane, north of Danville, Turcea said. "They were in really poor condition," Turcea said. "They were extremely emaciated. They were feces-covered. Their hooves were in terrible condition. Some of them may have skin problems due to their filth."

The horses were in the stalls of a barn. "They did have fans blowing on them. ...And these stalls had obviously not been mucked out, I would say, in months," Turcea said.
The stalls had 18 inches of horse manure in them, Turcea said. The animals had apparently received water.

The horses, ranging in age from 1 to 16 years old, are owned by people in Texas, North Carolina, Boyle County and Bardstown, Turcea said.

"The trooper and I have been in contact with these people," he said.

kentucky.com

09/10/2009 UPDATE

Danville man to be arraigned on animal-cruelty charges:

A Danville man is scheduled to be arraigned later this month on charges that he failed to provide adequate food, water and care for 10 horses.

James T. Lancaster, 65, was charged in late August with 10 counts of second-degree cruelty to animals. The horses were seized Aug. 10 after Kentucky State Police received a tip about starving animals in a barn on Gentry Lane north of Danville.

After examination by veterinarians, the emaciated horses were found to be suffering severe malnutrition, according to court documents. The equine body condition scores of the 10 animals were 1 and 2, with the highest possible score being 10, court records said.

The horses were owned by others but were in Lancaster's care. They were moved elsewhere after being seized by animal control officers.

Lancaster is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 22 in Boyle District Court in Danville. He is free on $2,000 bond.

kentucky.com


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MERCER COUNTY, KY JUNE 2009

Mercer Co. Horse Owner Faces Animal Cruelty Charges

June 22, 2009

A Mercer County man faces cruelty to animal charges after some horses were taken off his property.

Police say concerned neighbors alerted them about the horses, who were located on a farm on Curry Pike in Harrodsburg.

According to a criminal complaint, the horses belong to James "Les" Pease, a local developer who is now charged with cruelty to animals.

In all, 14 horses were seized from the farm and are now in a rescue being nursed back to health.

Pease had a summons to appear in Mercer district court Monday.

His attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Pease is due back in court July 28 for a pre-trial hearing.

LEX.18

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LARUE COUNTY, KY March 2009

Upton, KY

Saddlebred Farm Jack Wright

This case has been reported to the State Police, however no actions have been taken.

The mares in the right picture are emaciated and pregnant.

Phone calls and e-mails to Kentucky State Police Post 4 have not been replied to.

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Update:

It has recently come to our attention, that the owner of the emaciated horses (Jack Ward) is the father of Captain Ward of State Police Post #4.

As of 04/26/2009 horses are still in deplorable conditions. Pictures taken on that date:

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Update 07/16/2009:

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We checked on the horses and they are currently in good condition.

The pasture has grass and the owner has round bales in storage.

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Speak Up For Horses conducted their training program "How To Recognize Horse Neglect And Abuse" in Hodgenville today and Post #4 of the State Police (Captain Ward's ditrict) sent one of their depities to attend.

We will continue to monitor the situation.

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Update August 2009:

The owner of the horses passed away.

Steps are currently being taken to place these horses into new homes.

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BATH COUNTY, KY March 2009

Friday, Mar. 27, 2009

Lexington man charged in animal cruelty case
Herald-Leader staff report

A Lexington man has been charged with second-degree cruelty to animals for allegedly not caring properly for about 60 horses on a Bath County farm.

Kentucky state police said that Tom Browning, 69, was lodged in the Montgomery County Detention Center on the misdemeanor charge on Friday after turning himself in to authorities.

Browning is accused of not been feeding the horses, which led to the deaths of some of the animals. The farm is located south of Salt Lick.

Seven horses were found dead on the property.

The Bath County Outlook reported that these horses are "nurse mares".
Nurse mares are bred to a stud to impregnate them. Upon foaling the mare is stripped from its young and taken to a thoroughbred horse farm to foster high priced foals while their mothers are sent to be re-bred.
The nurse mare foals are a bi-product of this industry; some find homes through rescues who are able to take them in, other aren't as lucky.


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BRECKENRIDGE COUNTY, KY February 2009

Guston woman gets 17 counts animal cruelty
by Laura SaylorEditorwrite the author
February 27, 2009BRECKINRIDGE CO.

A Guston woman was charged with 17 counts of cruelty to animals 2nd degree when nine horses were found starved to death on her rented farm.

Breckinridge County Sheriff Todd Pate said Glenda A. Wright, 51, has a Guston address though the farmland she rents on Bewleyville-Rosetta Road fell under Breckinridge County jurisdiction.

Pate said animal control officer Mike Picente received calls about animals not being taken care of on Wright's property. Pate, Picente, and two veterinarians went out to the farm earlier this month where there were roughly 40 horses.Pate said nine of those horses were emaciated to the point of death, and eight others were in dire need of medical care.

Wright was arraigned in district court Feb. 10. Pate said she is presently out on bond, and a trial is slated for April 17.

Pate said he had been alerted of mistreatment of animals at Wright's farm before, but during a prior investigation the physical condition of the animals at that time didn't warrant charges of animal cruelty.

He said staff members of Broadbent Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Irvington, Ky., are caring for the horses at the farm.

NEWS

Update:

The trial is scheduled for May of 2009.
So far Glenda Wright has refused to relinquish ownership of any of these animals.
Studs are still running loose on the property with mares. Two foals have been born since charges were brought against Wright, several other mares are due to foal at any time.


We would like to thank the staff at Braodbent Wildlife Sanctuary for donating their time and feeding the animals every day.


Update:

Jury trial on 05/08/09 found Glenda Wright guilty on all 17 counts of animal cruelty and one count of improper disposal. She was sentenced to one year on each count, however they must run concurrently for a total of 12 months.


Update:

The second week of June, Glenda Wright was given shock probation with the condition that she disperse the horses within 30 days. She can keep 5 horses either geldings or mares but cannot breed anything for 2 years.

Obviously this is a bad decision on the judge's part. Someone who is responsible for the death of 11 horses should not be allowed to continue to own any.

Were any stipulations made in regard to the dispersal of her horses?

Since this case was first made public ten foals have entered this world. Additional birth are expected as of June 17th, 2009.

Update 07/16/2009:

Glenda Wright appeared before the Judge today to discuss the dispersal of her horses. She conducted herself in an inappropriate manner and was returned to jail.

The number of horses on her property still exceed the number she was ordered to reduce her herd to by today's court appearance.

Update October 2009:

Glenda Wright was given several more opportunities to re-home her horses, but still hasn't done so. October 13th, at another court hearing, she filed a complaint against the lawyer who represented her earlier. The court appointed a new lawyer and has given her yet another continuance until October 27th.

In the meantime several foals were either stillborn or died shortly after birth and the stallions continue to run at large with the remaining horses.


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HARLAN COUNTY, KY December 2008

Horses Found Neglected, Owners Arrested


Reporter: Jeff AllenEmail Address: mailto:jeff.allen@wymtnews.com?subject=Horses

Horses Found Neglected, Owners Arrested

Several horses are found neglected, others missing, and one even dead. It is a case of animal abuse in Harlan County that landed two people behind bars and several others are facing charges.

Members of the Harlan County Humane Society say they received a complaint on Christmas night that some horses in the Wallins Creek community were neglected. When they went to the property, they say they knew that had to take action.

The horses were living on a property on Camp Creek Road, but officials say it wasn't much of a home. "There was no hay, anything for these horses. They were in a small area and just fenced off. The only thing they did have was water. No shelter for any of these animals," said Marcella Chadwick, Harlan County Humane Society President.

"It's unbelievable, to see something like this, to see people let their animals starve like this," said Robert Duncan with the Harlan County Humane Society.

Humane society officials made a gruesome discovery when they found one horse already dead.
"It was laying out in the open in a culvert. They had laid some pine limbs over it, I guess to keep us from seeing it," Chadwick said.

On Monday, police arrested the animals' owners, Edwin and Diane Sullivan. They are the first arrests from a investigation by a humane society that's ramping up it's efforts.

"We're gonna do what we can do to make people pay for treating their animals this way," Chadwick said.

Three horses are missing, but officials believe they will be able to nurse most of the horses back to health. One of the five rescued may not survive.

"He was close to gone when we took him. I don't know if he's gonna pull through this or not. We're hoping and praying," Chadwick said.

Edwin and Diane Sullivan were arraigned on animal cruelty charges Tuesday but declined our request for an interview. Officials plan to charge several other people in the case.

Officials at the Harlan County Humane Society say they are in desperate need of food for the rescued horses.
To donate feed to the horses officials say were neglected in Harlan County, get in contact with the Home Federal Bank in Harlan. If you have information in the case, call Harlan County Humane Society President Marcella Chadwick at (606) 909-4781.

WYMT News

Kentucky.com

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EDMONSON COUNTY, KY AUGUST 2008

Horse Abuse Discovered in Edmonson County

Posted: 7:14 PM Sep 23, 2008

Reporter: Daniel KempEmail Address: mailto:daniel.kemp@wbko.com?subject=Horse

Kentucky is known as horse country.

It's the home of the Kentucky Derby, where some of the most beautiful horses in the world race every year.

But some say horse abuse in the state is becoming more common everyday.

One Caneyville woman says many horse owners simply don't want their animals anymore, and now they're going mistreated.

And she should know, she's caring for one.

Keila Edwards got a call a little more than a month ago about a horse named Copy, who she rescued after learning he had been neglected and abused by his owner in Edmonson County.

"He was a horse standing there with four bullet holes in his neck, skin stretched over his neck, and she said, 'You can't leave him, you've got to help him,'" Edwards explained. "This isn't her first rescue.

Edwards has done it with three horses before.
"I can't see them suffer or be mistreated, or being done this way."

But she says Copy's case is a crime that isn't getting justice.
"I've sent photos and contacted the sheriff's office, but no one's ever called me back and until this day no one's called me back," Edwards said.

One veterinarian says horse abuse is a problem that just keeps growing, especially in rural areas.
"Some of them and a lot of of them are young horses that people bought because they wanted to have a horse, but don't know what to do with it," explained Manuela Mattingly, owner of Twin Lakes Animal Hospital in Leitchfield.

"They can't afford to feed them because hay and fertilizer has went up," Edwards added. "Proper hay is $40 to $50 a roll and the horses aren't worth anything, so people think, 'Why should I feed this when I could be feeding cattle?'"

Edwards says Copy's life didn't start like this.
He's a Saddlebred that's taken awards.
"This horse used to be in a show ring. He's got saddlepoints. I was told an eight-year-old girl used to show him," Edwards said.

Now, Copy's just trying to regain strength to maybe one day return to his old self.
"The infection's going down. He's getting his energy back. He's actually feeling like a horse again."

Sheriff Mike Vincent, with the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, says the investigation regarding the previous owner of Copy, has been turned over to the Kentucky State Police.

WBKO

Update from WBKO

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