Horse neglect
Louisville, GA (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007
County: Jefferson
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Hazelene E. Trexler
» Terry Alfred Trexler
Georgia officials are looking to arrest a South Carolina mother and son for 30 charges each of animal cruelty by starvation in connection with a horse farm in Southeast Georgia.
While the Georgia Department of Agriculture's investigation is still ongoing, Jefferson County authorities have already issued 61 warrants for the arrest of the animals' owner, 70-year-old Hazelene E. Trexler, and her son, 44-year-old Terry Alfred Trexler, both of Sumter, S.C.
None of the more than 60 horses remain the pasture off Highway 171 that pasture Georgia Department of Agriculture Equine Health officials have been monitoring since October. Law enforcement officials said that they could account for only about half of the quarantined animals.
"She is being charged because she is the owner and he is being charged because he was the caretaker," said Jefferson County Code Enforcement Officer Jimmy Kitchens. "It was both of their responsibility to care for these animals."
Each faces 30 charges of misdemeanor animal cruelty by starvation and Terry Trexler also faces a single charge for allowing animals to roam at large. Officer Kitchens said each count carries a potential fine of $1,000 and up to one year in prison.
Witnesses listed on the warrants include Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Investigator Clark Hiebert, Georgia Department of Agriculture Equine Inspector Marei Hunter, and Georgia Department of Agriculture Equine Director Dr. Maria Luke.
Since first being notified that there were horses that appeared to be so malnourished that bony structures like the hips and ribs were plainly visible, the state's equine health division has made three trips to the pasture to take the most infirm and transport them to critical care centers for recovery.
After several weeks of monitoring to see whether the animals put on any weight, the state first returned on Nov. 7 and impounded 11 horses.
Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin said at the time that all of the animals taken had body scores of 1.0 to 3.0, the lowest ranking on the state's 1-10 system. All of the horses impounded needed immediate care, he said.
According to Officer Kitchens, the property owner from whom the Trexlers leased the pasture, has since taken 10 horses and the state has returned and impounded an additional 15. Officer Kitchens said the 10 taken by the property owner have since been cleared with the state for sale to the public.
"We don't know what happened to the others," Kitchens said. "But whoever took them broke quarantine."
Commissioner Irvin's office placed all of the horses at the site under quarantine until they could receive proof of their vaccinations and results of a valid Coggins test which is used to diagnose carriers of Equine Infectious Anemia.
Officer Kitchens said it appeared the horses had been completely abandoned since the beginning of January.
"This level of animal cruelty will not be tolerated and will be investigated if reported by both local and state authorities," Kitchens said. References« GA State Animal Cruelty Map
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