Case Snapshot

Case ID: 10451

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: horse

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Horse neglect alleged
Vandalia, WV (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Dec 15, 2006
County: Lewis

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Dismissed
Case Images: 1 files available

Person of Interest: Wanda Williams

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A Lewis County woman denies charges she neglected her five horses after animal control officials took them away earlier this month.

Wanda Williams now faces a charge of animal neglect. She said only one of her horses was sickly, but only because the mare was extremely old. Williams contends her other horses were in a perfect shape.

"We're devastated," she said. "Our horses are like our kids. They're part of the family."

A neighbor alerted People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals months ago. The story drew national attention once it was posted on PETA's Web site

About two weeks ago, animal control officials whisked the animals away from a Vandalia farm to the Cross Sabers Stables rescue farm in Doddridge County.

"We've been lied to," Williams said. "Everything's just come down on us."

Williams and her husband say they consulted a veterinarian several months ago.

"He said, as far as he could see, we were doing everything we should be doing," Williams said. "(The mare) was just old and she could die."

They said the other four horses were fine. Even so, they tried to nurse this one back to health but just didn't have the time or the resources.

"Anybody that knows horses will tell you that's impossible (in that amount of time)," said Gene Williams, Wanda's husband. "Just because we're poor, we're getting the shaft."

WBOY-TV tried to contact the sheriff's department for this report. No one returned their calls.

As for Williams, she recently posted $500 bond for the neglect charge.

"It hurts us," she said. "We're just heartbroken over this."

Williams said she's received mixed signals from the sheriff's department. She said she's very worried about her horses and will do everything she can to get them back.

Case Updates

References

• « WV State Animal Cruelty Map

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