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| Judge(s): | Elliott McCollum |
CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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40 emaciated horses seized
Ochlocknee, GA (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Nov 1, 2011
County: Thomas
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Cecil Lewis Walker
» Kathleen Walker
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Forty emaciated horses have been seized in the tiny town of Ochlocknee, Georgia.
Thomas County Sheriff's deputies are investigating and say the owners could be charged with animal cruelty.
Calls rang into the sheriff's office back in early October about the conditions of the horses and on Tuesday, November 1st, deputies executed a warrant at a home on Incognito Lane and seized all of them.
Investigators brought the horses to a nearby rescue center. Deputies say the horses belonged to Cecil and Kathleen Walker.
"You can see his backbone. He's covered in rain rot. His ribs are showing. His hips are showing and his backbone here is showing," says Dancing Horse Rescue President Anita Meisen.
Meisen believes many of the female horses may be pregnant. One has difficulty walking due to a broken leg.
She says the rescue center has saved many animals before, but never has she rescued this many in such bad condition.
The Rescue Farm is asking for donations and staff there tell us none of the horses will go up for adoption any time soon. Here's how you can adopt once they do:
Dancing Cloud Farm Horse Rescue, Inc.
P.O. Box 6
Ochlocknee, GA 31773
Case UpdatesA Thomas County couple accused of neglecting or mistreating more than 40 horses find out their punishment.
Cecil and Kathleen Walker were sentenced to eight months probation and a combined $250 fine.
They must also give up their 41 horses and ponies and pay a monthly fee while they're on probation.
The Walkers entered no-contest pleas last month to 10 animal cruelty charges.
The Thomas County Sheriff's Office seized the horses a month ago and took them to the Source: walb.com - Dec 1, 2011
Update posted on Dec 2, 2011 - 10:04AM |
It's been four days since the horses were brought to the rescue center and while those close to the case say the horses are showing signs of improvement, they stress they still have a long road to recovery."
According to Dr. Mary Rogers, the forty hoses that were seized from Cecil and Kathleen Walker for abuse and neglect, are severely malnourished. Rogers says, "well, obviously they're very thin. They range in body condition, on a scale of one to nine, from a one point five to about a four. "
Another problem the horses are battling is rain rot which is brought on by a lack of grooming and overexposure to the elements. Rogers expects many of them will lose their coats.
Another major concern is parasite infection.
Roger says, "they have such heavy loads of parasites that they were actually expelling adult worms from, from their feces. And they have to be pretty heavily parasitized to do that."
Officials close to the case say they are seeing increased rates of neglected animals due to the struggling economy and say people should know they can voluntarily surrender their animals if they can no longer care for them.
Rescuer, Anita Meisen says "Contact the vet or contact us, and we will try to help them as best we can. Sometimes we can take the animal. Don't wait until they get in this condition."
The doctor says she expects a full recovery to happen within two to four months. | Source: wctv.tv - Nov 5, 2011
Update posted on Dec 2, 2011 - 10:02AM |
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