Horses trained in cruel manner, stretched
Cameron, WV (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Sep 16, 2005
County: Marshall

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Robert R. Anderson

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Trooper First Class William Lemon says he spent several hours on the night of Sept 21 on the horse farm of the accused, 76 year old Bob Anderson. He said he found the carcasses of four horses. While that alone doesn't make a case for cruelty, he'll use the evidence to enhance his case for felony animal cruelty.

Anderson was arraigned in Marshall County on Sept 21 for animal cruelty and brandishing. Sept 16, an animal control officer went to the farm and saw a horse stretched out and flopping from side to side. Officer Mike Baker stated the front legs were tied to a van and the back legs to a four wheeler. Anderson allegedly approached Baker with a knife, saying he wasn't going to be told what to do by a dog catcher. It was a busy day for Anderson, as he was also arraigned by a magistrate in Wetzel County on charges of animal cruelty and assault.

Witness say at a charitable fundraiser trail ride near Wileyville, Anderson bragged he could break a mule in 10 minutes. He allegedly did this by tying the mules head to a trailer and stretching out the back legs with a rope. When the horrified crowd objected, a man was allegedly punched in the face. As to the farm visit, by the trooper on Adams Hill Road, Lemon told us, "There were bones everywhere...Anderson didn't think he was doing anything wrong...It appears the horses and mules were either broken or they would die."

He also tells local media when they went to confiscate the horses and mules none of them could be found. State Police claim Anderson told them he's been breaking animals for years this way. Telling them once he gets them down he shines lights in their eyes, shakes things around their ears and fire guns close to them, in a process that takes about 45 minutes. Lemon told us Anderson does this to turn a profit, buying unbroken horses cheap, then selling them for more once they're broken.

Case Updates

References

• « WV State Animal Cruelty Map
  « More cases in Marshall County, WV

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