49 dead horses found on Pendleton Co. farm
PENDLETON COUNTY, KY (FOX19) -
49 horses were found dead at a Pendleton County farm on Monday.
Authorities said Larry Browning, who owns the property, will be charged with 14 counts of second degree animal cruelty.
Thirty-five horses were found still alive on the property. Officials said 14 horses are being taken to safe locations throughout Kenton County to be treated for malnourishment.
Officials say Browning is only charged with 14 counts of animal cruelty because of the 14 malnourished horses taken from the property.
Authorities said they are waiting to determine the exact cause of death for the 49 horses before filing additional charges.
Larry Browning freely admits that some of the horses on his farm in Pendleton County look sick and malnourished.
He says there's a reason why he has so many horses, though. Browning tells FOX19 that people in Pendleton County know he'll try to care for them.
"In the last two years, I've probably had close to 100 horses dropped off. Now, some of them straighten up. I mean, I worm them all and I've got, well, this winter I spent two or three thousand dollars on hay," said Browing.
He went on to say that about four years ago, he took in some horses from the southern part of the state. He says he rehabbed many of them, and that now people who can't take care of horses use his property as a drop off point. He says it happens during the middle of the night, near his barn at the edge of the property.
"This didn't happen until they stopped the slaughter. Once they stopped the slaughtering, people didn't have an outlet for their old horses, crazy, or mean horses," said Browning.
He says as a result of tough economic times, many people around the area can't take care of their horses and don't know what to do.
"I just put up those no trespassing signs up here in the last six months. It hasn't helped. They are still dropping them off," said Browning.
Pendleton County has tried to fight animal cruelty for awhile. FOX19 has uncovered several documents from 2013 which outline tougher penalties and tighter investigations into cases of abuse.
Browing says he's not an abuser. Back in 2011, he faced similar charges, went to court, and won.
"What am I going to do? The animal activists, they'll do what they want to do. They say I'm harboring them, they're on my farm, so it's my responsibility," said Browing.
Investigations into Browning began in February after Butler residents complained of dead horses on his property, according to officials
The anonymous tip on Monday led them to visit the farm and charge Browning with animal cruelty.
His next court date is April 15th.
www.fox19
Man pleads not guilty to 15 counts of animal cruelty after 49 horses found dead on N.Ky. farm
BUTLER, Ky. -- A Northern Kentucky man charged with 15 counts of animal cruelty and 49 counts of failing to dispose of carcasses after officers found 49 dead horses on his Pendleton County farm pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday.
Authorities were called to Larry Browning's farm April 7 after receiving an anonymous tip of a dead horse in a field.
Animal control officers said they also removed 14 out of 32 horses that were still alive on the farm in the 2200 block of KY-177 in Butler, Ky. The 14 horses removed were emaciated, officials said.
Officers said there was not enough hay on the farm to feed all 81 horses.
According to Animals’ Angels Inc., a non-profit organization that investigates cases of animal abuse in the United States, this incident wasn’t the first time Browning was accused of mistreating his animals.
Animals’ Angels reports investigators found about 100 horses “very thin, emaciated, lethargic and coughing” on Browning’s farm in 2011.
“Some were penned in an area used for manure disposal, standing on ground covered with manure and urine, their hay thrown on top of the filth,” the report states.
Animals' Angels investigators said they obtained photographs taken at Browning’s farm on June 15, 2011 that show “extremely emaciated horses.”
A Kentucky Department of Agriculture inspector later visited the property and reported there was "nothing alarming” and complaints were "unfounded," according to the Animals' Angels report.
Kathy Rice, who lives near the farm, said Browning is a horse trader and has owned the Butler property for more than 20 years.
She said she bought horses from Browning in the past.
“He's been doing this a long time… it’s his livelihood,” Rice said. "Any horse that I have bought from him has been healthy, strong and everything.”
Rice said people who cannot take care of their horses often drop them off at Browning's farm.
She said Browning might have become overwhelmed by the number of horses taken to his property.
“People come by who can't afford their horses anymore and just turn them loose in the middle of the night,” she said.
Rice said Browning feeds the horses well and disagreed with the charges against him.
“He has hay out here all the time,” she said. “He grains them every day."
WCPO
Man charged with not caring for horses misses court hearing
The man accused of abusing dozens of horses in Pendleton County was a no-show in court for a preliminary hearing Tuesday.
Larry Browning faces 64 charges connected to dead and malnourished horses found on his property but the case was continued because he didn’t appear for the hearing.
“Obviously I am unhappy with that. I’m trying to get these horses turned over to the county as soon as possible,” Pendleton County Equine Investigator Scott Pracht said.
The remains of 49 horses were found on Browning’s farm just outside of Butler, Ky., last month. About 15 horses were seized by investigators.
“It was definitely one of the worst I've ever seen with the amount of deceased horses on the property,” Pracht said.
The county is footing the bill for keeping the horses, including vet costs, grooming, food and water.
Pracht said every delay adds to the time and money the county is paying.
“That’s why we still need the donations because who knows how long this case is going to last if he keep dragging it out like this,” Pracht said.
Browning’s attorney, Stacey Sanning, said she has advised him not to comment on the case.
“The people are dropping them off,” Browning told WLWT’s Brian Hamrick last month about the horses.
Browning denied any allegation of abuse.
“I’ve actually traded ponies and horses for 50 years. I’ve never been accused of starving anything in my life. I don’t believe in it. I wasn’t raised that way,” Browning said.
That’s the same thing Browning said in 2011 when he was investigated when 10 horses were in such bad shape they had to be euthanized. Browning was not charged in that case.
A warrant for Browning was not issued but one will be if he misses the next hearing set for May 27.
“It was definitely one of the worst I've ever seen with the amount of deceased horses on the property,” Pracht said.
The county is footing the bill for keeping the horses, including vet costs, grooming, food and water.
Pracht said every delay adds to the time and money the county is paying.
“That’s why we still need the donations because who knows how long this case is going to last if he keep dragging it out like this,” Pracht said.
Browning’s attorney, Stacey Sanning, said she has advised him not to comment on the case.
“The people are dropping them off,” Browning told WLWT’s Brian Hamrick last month about the horses.
Browning denied any allegation of abuse.
“I’ve actually traded ponies and horses for 50 years. I’ve never been accused of starving anything in my life. I don’t believe in it. I wasn’t raised that way,” Browning said.
That’s the same thing Browning said in 2011 when he was investigated when 10 horses were in such bad shape they had to be euthanized. Browning was not charged in that case.
A warrant for Browning was not issued but one will be if he misses the next hearing set for May 27.
UPDATE January 2015
Charges dropped in Pendleton Co. horse cruelty case
Posted: Jan 10, 2015 6:33 PM EST Updated: Jan 10, 2015 11:28 PM ESTWITH VIDEO
PENDLETON COUNTY, KY (FOX19) - Pendleton County Prosecutor Jeff Dean made a plea deal with Larry Browning and his lawyers in the case where 49 horses were found dead on Browning's property.
Animal Control and Emergency Management responded to 2239 Ky. 117 in Butler City after an anonymous tip alerted them of dead horses on the property in April.
Thirty-five horses were found still alive on the property. Officials said 14 horses were taken to safe locations throughout Kenton County to be treated for malnourishment.
Browning was charged with 14 counts of cruelty to animals and 49 counts of failure to remove the carcasses within 48 hours.
According to Equine Investigator Scott Pracht, the plea deal was to dismiss all 14 counts of animal cruelty and merge all counts of failure to remove carcasses within 48 hours. Browning plead to an Alford Plea of 4 counts of failure to remove carcasses.
Pracht says Browning is allowed to keep the five horses he has and had to pay back the county $7,500 for the horses care during the case.
FOX19 NOW spoke with Pracht Saturday and he says the deal has him fuming.
"I'm very disgusted. I've been doing this for a long time and I've never run across a case where I've had this much evidence against somebody and for them to make a plea agreement without my knowledge," Pracht said.
The conditions of the horses made Pracht sick.
"You wouldn't believe it, I mean, horses entangled in barbed wire still decaying because....and ripped off all the tree bark because of the fact that horse couldn't get away, I mean, it's in dire mode. This is by far the worst case of animal cruelty I've seen. The most deceased animals I've ever seen on one single property," Pracht said.
FOX19
