80 horses neglected, 19 found dead
Lebanon, OR (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Jan 31, 2006
County: Linn
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Cheryl Ann Hainz
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
An animal-neglect case involving about 80 horses and other recent cases have prompted Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller to create a Livestock Abuse Investigation Team.
In February 2006, the sheriff's office began investigating a report of neglected horses on Mount Hope Drive near Lebanon.
The investigation is continuing and charges are pending, Mueller said. He has not released any names of individuals involved in the case.
Investigators found 19 dead horses and many sick ones. The animals had been "left to fend for themselves," the sheriff said. Some had to be put down, and others were sold at an auction.
The property owner lives out of state and had only acquired the property and animals days before the investigation began, the sheriff said.
The Livestock Abuse Investigation Team was created to help assess the condition of animals reported to be neglected or abused in the county.
The sheriff is also seeking volunteers willing to lodge livestock that might be removed as a result of an investigation.
As the county has become more urban, fewer members of the sheriff's office have agriculture backgrounds or know what to look for in animal neglect, Mueller said.
About seven employees from the sheriff's office, from the patrol and corrections divisions, who have experience working with livestock such as horses and cattle, have volunteered to be part of the team. Veterinarians and other community members also have volunteered.
Mueller, who grew up on his parents' farm in Tangent, considers himself part of the team.
Team members will assist other deputies in evaluating the condition of animals that are reported to be neglected.
If a further investigation is needed, the team - not detectives - will continue to work on the case. That will free up detectives to work on other cases, Mueller said.
Linn County has no shelter for large animals, so if animals are removed during an investigation they are put under the care of volunteers in the community. The sheriff's office is compiling a list of people who are interested in caring for rescued livestock.
Those interested in being on the list or who want more information can call the sheriff's office at 967-3950 and ask to speak with Sgt. James Welch.
Case UpdatesSheriff Tim Mueller said that approximately 80 horses and 15 cows were roaming wild on the property, which is more than 100 acres.
Nineteen of the horses had serious health problems. Sixteen dead horses were found on the property. Some of the sick horses had to be put down. Others have been taken in by volunteers, many of them members of the Sheriff's Posse. Mueller said that the property had been sold about a week before the investigation began. The new owner, who lives in Oklahoma, has been very helpful, he said.
She has hired a mid-valley man to care for the animals on her new property, Mueller said, and deputies have been working with the caretaker. All the horses that could be captured were examined by a veterinarian, and those that were healthy enough were sold at auction. Mueller said some of the horses and cattle remain wild on the property. This morning a few horses were visible on the property from Mount Hope Road. A trailer overgrown with blackberry vines and some barns were also visible. Mueller said that while some people might think horses can fend for themselves as long as they have grass to eat, that's not the case. "This time of year, there are no nutrients in what little grass there is," he said. "You have to supplement it with hay and grain, and that wasn't being done." Horses also need to be wormed and to have shelter from the rain, he said. The horses all had parasites, foot problems, and a skin condition called rain rot, Mueller said. "If you wipe your hand over their back, the hair just falls off," he said. One yearling filly was so thin that a person could almost wrap a thumb and forefinger around her protruding backbone, Mueller said. She had to be put down.
Anyone who would like to donate hay or grain to help care for the animals can contact Sgt. James Welch at the sheriff's office, 967-3950. People who would like to volunteer to care for animals affected by future abuse investigations can also contact Welch. | Source: Democrat Herald - March 29, 2006
Update posted on Mar 29, 2006 - 6:52PM |
A Lebanon woman has been charged with 19 counts of first-degree animal neglect. Cheryl Ann Hainz-Justice, 46, was arrested Thursday and taken to Linn County jail.
The arrest followed an investigation by Linn County sheriff's deputies stemming from a report the sheriff's office received Jan. 27, 2006. Deputies discovered 19 seriously neglected horses and 16 dead horses on the property at 39627 Mount Hope Road. After an examination by a veterinarian, the horses without any medical problems were sold at auction, according to the sheriff's office. Those with problems were identified and turned over the volunteers who are providing care for the horses. | Source: Gazette Times - March 24, 2006
Update posted on Mar 24, 2006 - 10:49PM |
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