A barn in the area of Black Forest, Texas, near El Paso was the scene of a rescue of a number of horses and llamas on Monday, September 22. It appears the animals had been severely neglected and abused for some time.
A scene of animal neglect and cruelty
A barn in the area of Black Forest, Texas, near El Paso was the scene of a rescue of a number of neglected horses and llamas on Monday, September 22, 2014.
The state humane society took the horses to an undisclosed animal rescue facility Monday afternoon. The llamas were taken to a separate facility. The owner of the animals, Sherri Brunzell, has been charged with extreme animal cruelty although she was ticketed rather than being arrested because the charge is considered a misdemeanor in the area.
The animals were discovered Friday living among the remains of nearly a dozen dead horses. The 10 surviving horses and four llamas did not look healthy, although authorities said none appeared to be in immediate danger.
The person who made the discovery had lived in a house on the property since August and entered the barn when her dog ran into it. She climbed over a number of pallets and discovered dead horses, mounds of feces and the horses and llamas. She then called the authorities.
Neighbors learning of the discovery said they were haunted by the idea that this neglect and abuse of so many helpless animals was going on in their neighborhood.
The El Paso County Sheriff's Office says the reason for the four-day delay between the discovery of the abused animals and their rescue was because one of their veterinarians, who had worked on similar cases, had to make an assessment first. Once the vet did so, the sheriff's office says they then had the legal right to seize the horses, and made arrangements to do so.
"In order to seize somebody's livestock, there's a very specific set of criteria that we have to follow," Sgt. Greg White with EPSO explained. White said Brunzell was being "very cooperative."
Brunzell maintains that the dead horses died of old age last winter, but because the ground was frozen she was unable to bury them. Instead put down a tarp and used a product to dissolve their bodies.
If Brunzell is found guilty of animal abuse, she could face anywhere from six to 18 months in jail, or a $500 to $5,000 fine.