Farmed animal neglect
Sugar Hill, GA (US)Incident Date: Monday, Feb 4, 2008
County: Gwinnett
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: George Ellis Pugh
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Authorities have charged a Gwinnett County man with 30 counts of animal neglect after seizing animals from his property that they said were underweight and infected with worms and lice.
Cpl. Illana Spellman with the Gwinnett County Police Department said George Ellis Pugh was arrested on Monday after the department received numerous complaints about possible animal neglect at his property, located at 5893 Suwanee Dam Road in Sugar Hill.
Gwinnett Police got a search warrant for the property and, along with Animal Control officers and members of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, seized 17 horses, nine cows, three pigs and a goat because of insufficient sanitary conditions and suspected neglect.
The animals were examined by a veterinarian on the site, who found they were severely underweight and infected with worms and lice.
Seven of those horses "were in pretty bad condition," Spellman said. They are in the care of the state Department of Agriculture.
Nine horses are with a horse handler. One horse, as well as the remaining animals, are in custody of the Gwinnett County Welfare Center.
Pugh was taken to the Gwinnett County Detention Center, where he later posted bond. His court date is pending.
Case UpdatesA Sugar Hill farm owner whose animals were impounded after he was accused of animal neglect will get back some of his livestock, at least temporarily.
Gwinnett County Recorders Court Judge Patricia Muise on Friday ruled that eight horses, nine cows, three pigs and a goat should be returned to George Ellis Pugh's 110-acre property on Suwanee Dam Road.
Pugh said he plans to put the cows up for auction and have the pigs slaughtered next week.
He agreed to surrender nine other horses that were in the most critical condition to the state.
Muise instructed Pugh to provide sufficient hay, water and shelter for the horses being returned to him. He must also make sure their stalls are mucked out daily and that the horses are fed a veterinarian-approved diet.
The question of whether Pugh can retain custody of the horses permanently will be decided March 19, when he faces trial on 30 counts of animal neglect.
Gwinnett animal control officers and inspectors from the state Department of Agriculture seized 30 animals from Pugh's property on Feb. 4.
Assistant Solicitor Barbara Davis said many of the animals - primarily the horses - were emaciated and subject to "horrendous conditions." They were forced to stand in deep mud and lacked a sheltered area to seek refuge from the elements, Davis said.
Pugh testified that he has cared for animals since he was 9, but found it hard to keep up with the farm when he suffered a fractured elbow after being thrown from a horse in October.
"I have not abused no horses," Pugh said.
An equine inspector for the Georgia Department of Agriculture disputed Pugh's claim that the problems only occurred recently. She said the department has received numerous complaints about poor conditions on the farm dating back to 1996. | Source: Atlanta Journal Consitution - Feb 22, 2008
Update posted on Feb 22, 2008 - 7:03PM |
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