Horse found dead, others malnourished; owner charged

The woman had gotten a warning in May, warden says.

Animal Friends Humane Society is in need of supplies and monetary donations for the care of horses. For more information, visit www.animalfriendshs.org

Contributed photo Animal Friends Humane Society is in need of supplies and monetary donations for the care of horses. For more information, visit www.animalfriendshs.org

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By Deanna Rippy and Andy Sedlak
Staff Writers Updated 9:14 PM Friday, July 29, 2011

MIDDLETOWN — A Middletown woman is facing numerous animal cruelty charges after wardens found one deceased horse and several others malnourished in Madison Twp.

Sandra Givens, owner of the American Quarter horses, was charged with seven counts of cruelty to animals, a second-degree misdemeanor, for allegedly leaving the seven horses without adequate water and food.

If convicted, Givens faces a maximum $750 fine and 90 days in jail per count, Butler County Chief Dog Warden Julie Holmes said.

Holmes’ office received a complaint regarding the horses’ condition on July 20. Givens was charged on July 22 after a horse was discovered dead. She had previously been investigated and given a warning in May, according to Holmes.

Givens, who declined to comment for this story, was arraigned July 26 in Middletown Municipal Court; a pretrial hearing is set for Aug. 8.

Four of the six surviving horses are now in the care of the Animal Friends Humane Society based in Hamilton, and two horses will stay under the supervision of the humane society until they can possibly be returned to an out-of-state co-owner.

Givens also was previously under investigation by the Greater Dayton Humane Society after several complaints were made about the condition of her horses while in Dayton, according to Holmes.

The agency offered on two different occasions for Givens to give up her horses to the humane society, which she declined.

Givens claimed to have the horses visited by a veterinarian in May, but said she had trouble getting to the horses and there were money issues in buying hay, Holmes said.

“In the past three months her horses would show slight improvement when we investigated Givens in May,” said Holmes. “We do not know when the horses started to deteriorate. It’s hard to tell what caused the poor condition of these horses.”

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