Fourteen horses have been removed from property in Eastern El Paso County. Their caretaker is accused of animal cruelty. The complaint came in over the weekend.
Audrey Hacker of Judge Orr Road could face multiple counts of animal cruelty. Bureau Chief Joe Breister said, "this appears to be a case where a lady caring for horses had more than her financial means could accommodate."
Authorities discovered 16 horses, 14 showing signs of neglect. Some were starving. According to sheriff's office authorities, "some of them were in dire need of medical attention."
Hacker told authorities she owned eight of the 16 horses on the property. She said she was having trouble finding good grass or hay. "At the time she told us she just didn't have the money to purchase any hay."
The horses were taken to the Calhan Auction grounds. Authorities would not allow video because they are considered evidence. The question is, who will pay for their treatment and feed?
Chief Breister said, "there are provisions in the cruelty statute that money spent on their care can be recouped."
Once they improve, the horses could be moved to the county fairgrounds, just down the street. If Hacker can not pay for the care the county is providing, the court could decide to auction the horses off to pay the bills. The sheriff's office says, as more people move out to the rural areas of the county, they are seeing a larger number of animal abuse complaints. Case UpdatesAn El Paso County woman has been charged with animal cruelty after 14 horses in her care were judged to be underfed.
The horses, including several colts, are recovering at a barn several miles away from the property where the animals were found in Calhan, Colo.
On Saturday, someone saw a horse wandering on the outside of the property. When a veterinarian arrived, she said 14 horses appeared to be badly neglected and underfed.
"The mares were so underfed that their teats weren't producing enough food for the colts to actually nurse from. The food they were getting was so minimal that it was only enough for them to sustain their own health, if you will," said Joe Breister of the El Paso Sheriff's Office. "This was the first case in the last years that I can remember where the veterinarian was so concerned that she didn't think one of the horses would make the ride in the trailer from the property to the Calhan auction, which was about a 5- to 10-mile ride."
"They were actually being fed feed that was more for cattle and cows than it is for horses," Breister added.
The owner of the horses, Audrey Hacker, told investigators she had been unable to find quality hay to feed the animals.
"There is a problem with hay, but it's not severe enough that it's causing anybody any great concern," Breister said.
An Aurora man owns about half of the ailing horses.
"He told us that about a month and a half ago he provided her $800 to provide for the feed and hay for his horses. We have yet to find out where that $800 went," Breister said.
Hacker faces one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. It's possible that more charges could be added at a later time, police said.
She has 10 days to put in a claim to reclaim the animals, but she must prove she will be able to care for the horses properly. If she can't prove that, it is possible the animals will be put up for auction.
This is the third case of animal cruelty involving horses in Colorado within the last month.
A horse owner in Weld County faces animal cruelty charges that involved 23 horses found in poor health.
A Niwot woman faces numerous charges after dozens of horses were found on her 4-acre property, several of which were found in deplorable conditions. | Source: The Denver Channel - March 21, 2007
Update posted on Mar 21, 2007 - 11:59PM |
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Back to Top References | KOAA - March 20, 2007 |  | Gazette.Com |
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