Horses Removed, Owner Facing Animal Cruelty Charges
05/04/09
6:37 pm
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reporter: David Tate
producer: Amy Foster
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Bedford Co., VA -
Officials in Bedford County spent most of Monday taking horses from a farm in the Stewartsville area, after charging their owner with animal cruelty. This investigation actually started a month ago. That's when authorities told Gary Chisom to take better care of the horses.
After what they call "no signs of progress," officials stepped in to seize the animals.
Lynn Perkinson/Volunteer - "You don't want to know what goes on in my head when I hear about things like this."
This is not what Lynn Perkinson had planned for her Monday morning. The horse lover from Dinwiddie volunteered to help load up the animals.
Perkinson - "I heard it from a friend's neighbor as part of the league. Tthey called me and said they needed one more trailer, so here I am."
Amy Woodard/Equine Rescue League - "The horses are under weight, they are feeder neglected. They also appear to be living a lot of horses on small acreage."
As soon as they would get one trailer loaded, another waited to take its place- a scene repeated over and over throughout the day. Once these horses are checked for medical problems on site, they will be shipped off to foster families. Not only here in Virginia, but neighboring states as well.
Susan White, Cruelty Investigator - "They will receive any medical treatment any ? care and proper nutrition at our rehab barns."
Something the sheriff's department, and neighbors, say they weren't getting here. A county ordinance says that you can only keep one horse per fenced in acre, that way they can get proper exercise and forage for nutrition.
"With 20 horses living on approximately 3 acres it's a lot of horses to take care and feed."
All 25 horses are now being quarantined and will stay in foster care as the case against Chisom plays out. We'll let you know what happens.
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