10 seized horses slowly improving
The animalswere moved froma Black Forest property and are getting basic care.
black forest » The 10 horses found Sept. 19 in Black Forest are slowly recovering at a law enforcement holding facility on the Front Range.
On Friday, they chomped on hay in their pens, lapped up water out of tubs and licked mineral blocks.
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Greg White said the six stallions and four mares can have hay and water and receive basic veterinary care, but a court order is needed for them to receive other aid, like supplements or antibiotics, because they are considered evidence in a criminal case.
The remains of 14 horses were found covered with lye and tarps in a Black Forest barn Sept. 19 after a neighbor called the sheriff’s office and media outlets about their state.
The sheriff’s office initially determined the horses were not in “imminent danger” and allowed the animals to remain at the stables through the weekend. That changed Monday, when they were removed from the property after the El PasoCounty Sheriff’sOffice executed a search warrant on it. Elbert County veterinarian Dr. Randy Parker of Range View Equine Associates was there Monday and determined that the horses should be removed, and the owner, Sherri Brunzell, was cited for Class 1 misdemeanor animal cruelty.
A Facebook page for one of the horses, “Justice for Dual Peppy,” was created Sunday and has more than 28,500 likes.
At the animal facility Friday, which is not being named to protect its location and the safety of the animals, White said weight gain for the horses will take time, but the difference in their well-being is noticeable. Their hooves have been trimmed correctly, he said, and they are receiving consistent care.
Sheriff’s office Lt. JDRoss also was at the property Monday and said he made a promise to the animals to return and check on them. He said Friday they had brighter eyes and expressions.
“It’s night and day,” Ross said. “You can’t compare the conditions. What I saw Monday was different.”
White said Brunzell has 10 days fromwhen the horseswere removed to petition to try to get them back. If she does, the daily price for caring for the 10 horses and a bond total will be determined at a hearing. She will have to pay in 30-day increments for their care until her court case Dec. 31, White said. Until her court date, the facility and the sheriff’s office are sharing the costs of caring for the horses, but a judge could order that Brunzell has to repay all or part of those costs.
White said that the horses will be held at the facility until the resolution of the court case. A judge will determine whether Brunzell regains ownership of the horses if she petitions and is found innocent.
If Brunzell does not petition or is found guilty, White said, the sheriff’s office could take over ownership and decide what to do with the animals.
White confirmed that the sheriff’s office is working with an investigator with the district attorney’s office. District Attorney Dan May spoke to the Board of County Commissioners Tuesday and said hewanted his office to aid with the investigation.
White, citing the ongoing investigation, would not say if a necropsy on the dead animals would or has occurred. Tom Gonzales, environment health director with the county public health department, said the property was still being treated as an investigation scene. Until then, Gonzales said, the office cannot de- termine whether or not there is a threat to public health.