Nine dogs, 3 horses removed from home
“He has no idea how many horses go where”
Working with the El Dorado Police Department, Union County Animal Control Officer Charles Hartsell confiscated three horses and nine dogs Sunday from a residence on Georgia Street.
Hartsell said the EPD received a call Sunday morning, where the caller reported the animals being outside in 96 degree heat without water, shelter or food. Hartsell said the horses were also crowded into too small of a pen.
“They had three horses on .27 of an acre; you’re only supposed to have one horse on a quarter-acre,” he said. “The regulations for horses in city limits is 25-30 gallons (of water) a day. For the horse that’s so poor (condition), (its water bucket) probably wouldn’t hold 10 gallons. For the other two horses, they had a 50 gallon drum; that’s just a little more than for one horse.”
One horse that was in particularly bad condition was “borderline animal cruelty,” Hartsell said. The nine dogs he picked up also didn’t have food or water set out, and some were kept on chains, which is illegal in El Dorado.
Hartsell said on Sunday afternoon, he made contact with Jordan A. Richardson at the Georgia Street home, who said the animals, except the one horse in particularly poor condition, belonged to her. The third horse belonged to a recent El Dorado transplant, who moved from Magnolia and was temporarily keeping the horse, which was wild, at Richardson’s home, Hartsell said.
“He has no idea how many horses go where, and anyway, it’s up to whoever’s keeping them (to maintain the correct pen),” Hartsell said. “He’s under advisement that he has to take the horse to the vet, has to get the vet’s recommendations. Since it’s his first offense, we’re trying to work with him. He doesn’t really know about horses, and this one was wild. … If he doesn’t follow through, he’s subject to animal cruelty.”
Richardson, meanwhile, was charged on several counts related to the other horses and dogs that were confiscated. Hartsell said he issued citations for a failure to maintain a pen and premises for the extra horses cramped on the property; six additional failure to maintain a pen and premises citations for six of the dogs that were on the property; two citations for keeping dogs on chains; and one citation for having a dog at large (not leashed and not penned).
“The failure to maintain a pen and premises covers water and food and dogs on chains and no shelter but the animals are pretty much okay. It’s kind of a fit-all; you can fit like 12 different things under that,” Hartsell explained. “The judge usually goes for about $220 (fines) a piece on those. It’s up to the judge.”
Hartsell said Richardson and her boyfriend who also resides at the Georgia Street residence agreed to surrender at least five of the dogs. Whether they are able to reclaim the other dogs will also be up to the judge, Hartsell said.
“All I can do is write the citations, and the rest will be up to the judge,” he said.
Hartsell also said the Georgia Street property owner assured him that a second quarter-acre area will be fenced off to ensure both horses have adequate space should the couple be able to reclaim them at a later date. All 12 animals will remain in Hartsell’s and the county’s care until after Richardson appears in court on the citations he issued.