A woman accused of letting miniature horses starve has been charged with more than 20 counts of animal cruelty and more horses have been seized.
Julie Ann Sherrill, 54, of 1945 Eastbrook Circle, Morganton, was arrested and charged Sunday with 23 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, according to a court records and a release from Burke County.
On Wednesday, Burke County Animal Services and its animal enforcement seized 32 miniature horses and 39 chickens from two properties in Morganton. Animal enforcement officers also discovered additional properties with horses belonging to Sherrill, according to the release. After additional search warrants were issued on Thursday and Friday, 17 more miniature horses were confiscated by Burke County Animal Enforcement, bringing the total to 49 horses and 39 chickens the county has seized, the release said.
Animal enforcement officers said some animals seized Wednesday were found to be staying alive by eating mud/dirt and sawdust-like material.
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Skeletons of animals were found at both locations. On the two properties searched last week, several more deceased animals were found, along with skeletons from previous deaths, the county said.
A necropsy report on a miniature horse listed the cause of death as starvation, the county said on Thursday.
Eight of the latest 17 horses seized were covered in cockleburs. Six horses had a body condition score of three or less, one horse had a body score condition of 4 and the other one scored a 5, the release said. The remaining nine horses were being housed at a different location, it said.
They were being well cared for by a good Samaritan who was paying out of pocket to care for the animals but who had not heard from the horses’ owner since November, the release said. Animal control took the horses to prevent the owner from reclaiming them and possibly face abuse or neglect, the county release said.
Sherrill was released after satisfying a $2,500 bond but additional charges are pending, according to the county.
Anyone with additional information on the case is urged to contact Burke County Animal Services at 828-764-9572.
Animal Services has estimated the cost for the first 30 days of care and to restore the animals to health to be $410 per horse and $20 per chicken, or almost $21,000, according to the county.
The release said Burke County Board of Commissioners Chairman Scott Mulwee and his wife, Laura, visited the animals and brought carrots to feed the horses.
“Whatever the animals, staff or volunteers need, it will be provided,” Mulwee said. “Just call me.”
