Eight Horses Starved
College Park, GA (US)Incident Date: Monday, Aug 23, 2004
County: Fulton
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Anthony A. Monts
State agricultural officials have impounded horses from a south Fulton County farm because the animals were being neglected, for the second time this year,
Eight horses belonging to Anthony Monts were impounded from Atlanta Farms in College Park after Department of Agriculture inspectors found them malnourished and suffering from various health problems, said Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin.
"We've had some difficulty with this farm dating back to January of this year," Irvin said.
Five horses were impounded in January 2004, and Monts was fined $6,000 for failing to provide adequate food, water and care.
But when Monts agreed to provide proper care, the horses were returned and $5,500 of the fine was suspended, Irvin said.
On a follow-up visit to the farm Monday, inspectors were "appalled" by the condition of Monts' horses, Irvin said.
"They called a veterinarian and upon his review, we impounded the horses and took them to a critical care center in Decatur," Irvin said. He said some of the horses were malnourished and had hooves that were "nearly rotten and hadn't been trimmed, it looked like, in months and months."
Irvin said Monts will be required to pay the remaining $5,500 of the earlier fine, and could face actions to revoke his state license to keep the horses.
"I think he's had his second chance, and I think we were lucky to get to these horses before they got to the condition that some of them might have died," Irvin said. References« GA State Animal Cruelty Map
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