A Wayne County woman is facing animal cruelty charges involving an emaciated horse that later died. Geraldine Benson of Equinunk is charged with four counts of animal cruelty involving five horses and five rabbits.

Pennsylvania Humane Society Police Officer Marlene Metzger says Benson “failed to provide food, water and access to clean and sanitary shelter.” She says the five horses were living in a foot and a half of manure and mud. One of the horses, an older, Arabian mare was “absolutely emaciated, skin stretched over bone,” Metzger said. “I ordered veterinary care the day I was there, and told them that they needed to get a vet out there or they needed someone to euthanize the horse. That’s how bad that horse was ...I told them that horse wasn’t going to live 48 hours ...I went back 48 hours later, and the horse was laying there dead.” Metzger said she questioned if they’d had the animal euthanized and was told, “No, it just died.”

“Just to leave her lay there and die, that horse suffered,” Metzger said. “It didn’t need to be that way.”

Metzger said the owners said they had been feeding it the best food and giving it the best care. Metzger said the horses were in “varying degrees of carrying weight ... from absolutely emaciated, couldn’t lose another ounce, to in good weight.”

She said the owners have since re-homed the other four horses.

Two of the four citations involved rabbits, allegedly caged in filthy conditions. Resulting charges were for failing to provide food, water and access to clean and sanitary shelter.

Cruelty to animals is a summary offense, punishable by a fine of $50 to $750, and up to 90 days in jail.

Update 11/14/08:  Benson has pleaded guilty to four counts of animal cruelty, resulting in citations in excess of $1400.

Magisterial District Judge Ronald J. Edwards levied the highest fine, $750 plus costs, for failing to provide necessary veterinary care for an older mare that eventually died.

Benson was also charged with dog law violations for failing to have a current dog license and rabies vaccination for her dog. She was fined $100 for failure to have the dog vaccinated and another $50 for the nonexistent license.

“Even if you get overwhelmed and you have too many (pets), you still need to do the right thing for them,” said Pennsylvania Humane Society Police Officer Marlene Metzger, who filed the original charges.

“I also think people are finally starting to understand that animal abuse or neglect, or whatever else you want to call it, is just not going to be tolerated anymore ...If you elect to have them, and it is a choice, of course, to have them, then you need to take care of them. Most of the time, these aren’t bad people, they’re really not ...but, you have to accept the responsibility. They can’t take care of themselves.

“A lot of times, people run into hard times and things like that, but the animals can’t get out of the fence to find food and water. They can’t clean their own pens. They absolutely can’t take care of themselves, and when you own them, you assume the responsibility for their care and their well being. I can feel bad for you to a certain extent, but after that, I can’t.”

Reference:

Wayne Independent