FAYETTE COUNTY, KY APRIL 2017

Two people charged in horse neglect case

Updated: Thu 10:41 PM, Apr 13, 2017

 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) -

Two women face animal neglect charges in Lexington. Investigators say they were not properly caring for five horses. Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control took the horses from two different farms in the city.

 

"You know what, it's time to say enough is enough now let us take over," Officer Timothy Brown, with Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control, said.

At two horse farms across town he says they've seen enough.
"When we feel like we have to step in it's something that is pretty severe, you know?"

 

Brown says a number of calls came in, all with the same tone. A handful of horses were pulled from the farms.

"They seen everything from skin issues, under weight," he said.
 

WKYT asked and we're not able to show any pictures right now because the investigation isn't over.

"Owners were given chances to correct it, however they did not."
 

The owners he's talking about are Agnes Krug and Tres Delaforce. Each faces animal neglect charges.

"Investigators got called out to two different addresses, one on South Yarnallton and Athens Walnut Hill."

 

WKYT stopped by both places and asked they give us their side of the story. Krug told us she didn't want us on her property. We left Delaforce a voicemail and haven't heard back.

Officials say Delaforce isn't unfamiliar to animal neglect, that she was a complainant just last year when Mercer County investigated the neglect of 43 horses.

As for this investigation, it's ongoing. We're told the cross-town cases may somehow be linked.
Brown said, "We are safe to say that they are somewhat connected. We just don't know the relationship between the two."

As the investigation continues Animal Care & Control is taking care of the thoroughbreds. It's not clear if the horses will go back to their owners. That'll be decided in court.

WKYT

UPDATE FROM   the Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control  Facebook page

· December 6, 2017 ·

Earlier this year, we received multiple complaints regarding thin horses residing on South Yarnallton Pike.
During this investigation, several horses were seized for care and treatment issues. Lizzy (pictured below) is one of the horses from this case. Lizzy was found to be extremely underweight, covered in lice, with a wound on her neck as a result of a cribbing collar.
On Friday, a jury handed down a guilty verdict on the criminal case against the owner, Agnes Krug. She was convicted of all three counts of animal cruelty.

RICHLAND COUNTY, KY - ARREST MADE APRIL 2017

KY man charged after 40 horses taken from Richland Co. property
Friday, April 7th 2017, 10:28 am EDT

RICHLAND COUNTY, SC (WIS) -
A Kentucky man has been charged with two counts of felony ill treatment of animals after two horses he owned died.

After a year-long investigation, Gordon "Cappy" Wheeler, 46,  was arrested in Arizona and transported to Richland County this week to face the charges. Bond was set at $20,000, which was posted Thursday. 

 

Investigators with the Richland County Sheriff's Department were called to a property Wheeler was leasing on Community Pond Road in Eastover in March 2016 after a one-year-old horse was found dead.
"The animal had been dead for several hours or more," reads the incident report. "It appeared to be extremely malnourished and underweight."

As a result of the investigation, about 40 horses were taken from the property and put into the care of South Carolina Awareness and Rescue for Equines. Two of the horses, a Saddlebred filly named Lilly, and a Thoroughbred mare who had just foaled named Patti, died.
"Several of the horses were at death's door," said Jan Carter with SCARE. "They just weren't getting any care."

One foal, a Hackney pony named Hercules, was in such poor shape he couldn't stand.

Carter said the horses and ponies seized were Thoroughbreds, Saddlebreds and Hackney ponies. Since they were recovered from the farm, SCARE has found homes for all of them.
Some have recovered and are doing well at Dream Equine Therapy Center in York, SC.
While caring for the horses, SCARE went through 1,000 pounds of hay per day.

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