County considers fines to discourage dumping, mistreatment of unwanted horses

At least one rural county is considering anordinance to control escaped or released farm animals, some of which appear to be horses loosely abandoned by their owners or dumped by owners who are no longer willing or able to care for them.

Under the proposed ordinance, Lincoln County could fines owners of animals bothering public or private property and charge for the capture, feed and medical care of roaming animals, Michael Broihier of The Interior Journal in Stanford reports. (Dickinson Press photo by Bess Davis)

In response to concerns raised at a county Fiscal Court meeting by the Lincoln County Cattlemen's Association, County Attorney Daryl Day said "This ordinance will cover everything but cattle. . . We want to put everyone else on equal footing with cattle farmers." State law covers nothing but cattle, Broihier writes.

Day said the county was trying to specifically address horses running loose on a local road, the Interior Journal reports. Sheriff Curt Folger told Broihier, "The problem wasn't only horse owners refusing to restrain their animals, but a lot of horses were being dumped in rural areas." (Read more)