Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona tells reporters that his Animal Crimes detectives responded at the request of Maricopa County Sheriffâs Office District 2 patrol deputies to a property in Litchfield Park, Arizona this past week regarding the condition of two horses.
Starving horses
The owner admitted to detectives that she had purchased the horses off of Craigslist and did not have the financial means to care for them properly.
© 2016 by Maricopa Sheriff's Office
The detectives from the Maricopa County Sheriffâs Office Animal Crimes Investigations Unit have arrested Amber Dahl, of Litchfield Park, the property owner on two counts of animal cruelty.
Dahl was the owner of two horses found to be in medical distress due to a lack of nourishment. The owner admitted to detectives that she had purchased the horses off of Craigslist and did not have the financial means to care for them properly.
A Grey Mare, approximately 15 to 18 years old, named Mercedes, was determined to be 350lbs underweight and an 8 year old Black Gelding named Coal was 250lbs underweight.
The two horses were transported for medical evaluation and taken the Sheriffâs Office MASH II compound near the Tent City Jail. Mercedes had to be euthanized by the veterinarian after the horse's condition worsened.
Sheriff Arpaio created the Animal Crimes Investigations Unit over a decade ago. During 2015, Sheriffâs detectives have responded to 191 Cruelty and neglect cases involving horses. In that period detectives had 21 investigative cases and made 20 arrests of suspects, seizing and saving 26 horses from certain death.
Sheriff Arpaio continues to give high priority to horse abuse cases.