Neglect - donkey, goat, rabbits, chickens Cantonment, FL (US) Incident Date: Thursday, May 3, 2007 County: Escambia Local Map: available Disposition: Not Charged Charges: Misdemeanor Abuser names unreleased

Case ID: 11379 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: other farm animal, chicken, rabbit (pet), goat View more cases in FL (US) Login to Watch this Case

Eight animals were taken from behind a Cantonment home on May 3 after they were found emaciated and infested with parasites.

A donkey, goat and six rabbits were taken by the Panhandle Equine Rescue and by Escambia County Animal Control from a makeshift pen behind a home on the 700 block of Cedar Tree Lane.

"It's neglect, plain and simple," said cruelty investigator Diane Lowery of Panhandle Equine Rescue Inc. "It would take so little to come out and feed and water these animals."

Lowery said it appeared the animals, which included more than two dozen chickens, had not been fed or given water for more than two weeks. The chickens were given food and water and left at the site to be checked back on later.

"These animals are in distress," she said. "This is torture."

Many of the animals were missing hair or feathers on large parts of their bodies.

"They are just infested with mites," said Rose Marie Winchester, cruelty investigator with the rescue group. "They've become growths and sores."

Charlie Wilkinson has been doing construction on a home being built behind the makeshift pen where the animals were being kept.

He said in the month he has been working at the site he hasn't seen anyone out caring for the animals.

"I didn't even know what all this was," said the 18-year-old. "But I thought it was pretty small to be holding all those animals."

Lowery said this type of animal neglect usually results in only a misdemeanor charge, which carries a maximum $5,000 fine, one year in jail or both.

But she said she has been working with the state attorney's office on getting stricter punishments for crimes of this type.

"Death by starvation is very cruel," she said. "It should be a felony."

According to the Escambia County Clerk of Courts Web site, the home and the land is owned by William and Vicki Richburg. They were not home Thursday. Neighbors said they were expected to be out of town until Tuesday.

The Escambia County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case.

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References

	WKRG - May 3, 2007
	Pensacola News Journal - May 4, 2007

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