 Farmed animal neglect, dead animals found
Dover, DE (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Aug 15, 2006
County: Kent
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: John Henry Troyer
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A Delaware man faces 14 charges of cruelty to animals. Kent County animal control says 55-year-old John Troyer kept his animals living in filth and did not give them proper medical care. And during the investigation, they say they found signs of animal sacrifice.
According to court records there were skeletons of four cows and carcasses of goats in the pasture behind his home. Officers also found ropes hanging from trees, signs that animal control officers says points to a sacrificial ritual.
But Troyer is not facing charges for that. Animal control officials said he sold the goats to people from his farm, but he does not know who they are.
He is charged with keeping his livestock in areas filled with rusty barrels, nails, an lots of feces and urine. Officers say they also found a dead bull in a pen with several other live animals.
One neighbor says the animals often get loose and she is sick of it.
"They should do something about this after all these years. I've had everything you can mention in this yard. I've had bulls, one bull, pigs, goats, horses," said Troyer's neighbor Joyce Luzader.
Other neighbors defended Troyer, though, saying he even buys the livestock in poor condition and tries to nurse them back to health.
Back in 1998 he was found guilty on cruelty to animal charges. He has been under investigation nine times since then. Animal control officers say each time he was told to make corrections, he would sell the animals or butcher them. His livestock dealer license is in question, pending the outcome of a trial. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
Back to Top References« DE State Animal Cruelty Map
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