Horse neglect, one found dead
New Castle, KY (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Feb 2, 2007
County: Shelby

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Don Buckler

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

A New Castle man is accused of neglecting horses he kept on a farm in Shelby County after two were found dead and another had to be euthanized late last week.

Shelby County Animal Control Director Monica Robinson said Don Buckler, 48, was cited on six counts of second degree animal neglect. Robinson said animal shelter workers found emaciated horses and horses with severely neglected feet when they went to the farm after someone called them about a dead horse in a field.

Upon arrival, they found another dead horse and one so sick it had to be euthanized. Robinson said Buckler had 15 horses boarded on the farm at one time but has since moved some of the animals.

County Attorney Hart Megibben said his office is considering filing additional charges against Buckler for neglect of other horses he boarded here.

Buckler has worked for the Kentucky Humane Society for the past two years providing animal control services in Henry and Trimble counties. He worked out of a facility in Eminence.

Humane Society spokesperson Krista Roberts said Buckler resigned from the post Feb 2, the same day he was cited.

"We're extremely disappointed and disturbed that a former Kentucky Humane Society employee neglected animals or worse," Roberts said.

Roberts said the Humane Society would send a replacement to fulfill its contract with Henry and Trimble counties.

Henry County Judge-Executive John Brent Logan said Buckler had performed animal control services with one other part-time employee. Henry County contracted with the Kentucky Humane Society in 2003 to provide animal control services after a shelter worker was filmed shooting dogs to euthanize them.

Meanwhile, the Shelby County Animal Shelter is taking care of the horses at the farm in Shelby County where they were found, which she asked to be left undisclosed. At the farm, one horse, an old thoroughbred, had protruding hip and back bones and showed evidence of blanket sores and rain rot, a condition which causes the hair to fall out. Other horses were visibly thin and nearly all had cracked or overgrown hooves.

Robinson said the animals were being fed "but with moldy hay."

Local businesses have donated hay and grain. A local farrier is donating foot care for the animals.

"They're already looking better," Robinson said.

Robinson said the animal shelter will have to care for the horses until there is a trial or the matter is settled in court.

"We really don't want to take people's animals because it's a whole lot of trouble for us," Robinson said. "But they need to know you can't leave horses without feed and water."

The animal shelter is taking donations of hay, grain or money to buy feed for the horses. Call 633-0009 to help.

Case Updates

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