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Case ID: 16751

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: dog (non pit-bull), horse, goat

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32 malnourished horses, 2 goats, 2 dogs seized
Sherman, TX (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Oct 24, 2010
County: Grayson

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 3 files available

Alleged: Rodney Lynn Decker

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

The Grayson County Sheriff's Office seized 32 malnourished horses on Monday from a property east of Sherman. Deputies also found two deceased horses.

The horses, along with two goats and two dogs, were taken to an SPCA of Texas animal care center in McKinney pending the outcome of a yet-to-be-scheduled custody hearing.

The owner of the majority of the horses was identified as Rodney Lynn Decker, 53, of Sherman. Sheriff's Office Sgt. Rickey Wheeler said all but eight of the horses belonged to Decker, but he was responsible for the care of all of them.

Lacy Ball, communications specialist for The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas, said it was one of the worst cases she'd seen involving horses.

"We're going to a much better place than this," one of the wranglers said to an anxious horse as he herded it into the trailer.

Ball said the horses were "severely" underweight. "They definitely have not been taken care of," she said.

A prepared statement from the Sheriff's Office said dispatchers received a call Sunday from a complainant, who was on the property off State Highway 56 for business purposes. "When he entered one of the barns he saw several horses on the ground, one that appeared dead and several that could not get up," according to the statement.

Deputies also found two placentas. "This would indicate that several horses had given birth but due to malnourishment the colts were not developed," it was written in the statement.

Decker told sheriff's deputies he didn't have the money to care for the animals properly. When he was asked if he ever tried to contact the owners of the other horses, Decker said his phone was not working. Decker could not be reached by the newspaper for comment Monday, and in court documents had no attorney of record listed.

Sheriff's Office deputies arrested Decker on one count of cruelty to livestock and two other unrelated charges Sunday. He posted a $2,030 bond the same day and was released.

Deputies executed a seizure order on Monday for the animals and obtained an arrest warrant for Decker on 12 felony counts of cruelty to livestock.

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