 Horse neglect - 4 seized
Des Moines, IA (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Mar 18, 2007
County: Polk
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted
Charges: Misdemeanor
Abuser/Suspect: Jaime Albert Herrera
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Animal rescue workers in Des Moines discovered four horses and ponies so malnourished that one of them dropped to the ground before their eyes last weekend.
"It just couldn't get up," said Des Moines Police Sgt. Scott Raudabaugh. Four people had to lift it and carry it to a trailer.
Another pony and two horses that appeared to be starving were seized by officials.
"They were starving. There was no fat left on them. In fact, they were using muscle tissue for nutrition, so they were wasting away," said Brad Gordon, a veterinarian with the Equine Referral Clinic, 3350 S.E. 82nd St., near Runnells.
He said the pony that collapsed had to be held up in a sling while it began its recovery.
"It is dramatically better today. We are bringing them back slowly, being careful not to feed them too much at one time," Gordon said.
The owner of the horses, Jaime Albert Herrera, 33, of Clive, was charged with four counts of livestock neglect and three counts of having agricultural animals at large on the property near U.S. Highway 69 and County Line Road in southeast Des Moines.
Officers said Herrera told them he had been in Mexico and had hired someone to take care of the horses.
Herrera drove up while police were investigating. He was taken into custody.
Police said Herrera also was charged with neglect last October. Police said he had nine horses on 5 acres with little or no grass. Officers found three horses with no water. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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