Horse neglect, two found dead
Bristol, TN (US)Incident Date: Monday, Mar 3, 2008
County: Sullivan
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Tommy Ray Lester, Jr.
» Lisa Lester
Two of the five horses involved in a Sullivan County animal cruelty investigation are recovering well at a Knoxville, Tenn., farm for abused animals while their owners face charges that could have them each serving up to five years in jail.
Tommy Ray Lester Jr., of Stonewood Drive in Bristol, Tenn., and his wife Lisa were both charged with five counts of animal cruelty on Wednesday.
The couple is accused of neglecting and starving their five horses. Animal Control Officer Phil Lane said the case was the third or fourth horse neglect case his office has investigated since 2002.
"Animal neglect is becoming far too prevalent," Lane said Friday. "We see it way more often than we should."
Lane started investigating the Lesters in mid-February when his office received a call about a dead horse lying in the middle of their pasture.
He searched the couple's property Monday and found a second dead horse inside a barn.
The remaining three horses were seized by Horse Haven of Tennessee, a Knoxville animal rescue group that works closely with animal control and law enforcement agencies.
"[The horses] were all dehydrated," Horse Haven Executive Director Nina Margetson said, adding that two of the three animals are recuperating nicely while the third is still in shaky condition and on a day-to-day basis.
Margetson said she also has seen an increase in horse neglect cases. The center is currently caring for 33 neglected horses, including the 20 animals seized in June from Karen Harlan, of Bristol, Tenn.
"It's all over the whole state," Margetson said. "A lot of people are having problems feeding their horses, and instead of making other arrangements to feed them, they are letting them starve."
Margetson said another reason behind the increase in animal neglect cases is more attention from the public.
She said more people have been watching out for abuse cases and reporting them to law enforcement agencies, which are stepping up their efforts to bring more offenders before a judge.
Lane said the Lesters' case is still working its way through the court system, and he was uncertain of when their next hearing will be.
If convicted, the couple could serve up to a year in jail on each count of animal cruelty and assessed a $2,500 fine. References« TN State Animal Cruelty Map
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