The Waldoboro Police are investigating an animal abuse and neglect case in which seven horses were found dead on a property on the Chapel Rd. in Waldoboro. Last week investigators found one horse dead and another in a nearby stall on the brink of death.
A Wiscasset veterinarian who accompanied police, determining the nearby horse was near death, euthanized the horse to end its suffering, according to Waldoboro Police Chief Bill Labombarde.
A third horse was brought to a large animal facility nearby in order to save it.
“It was not in good health,” Labombarde said, adding personnel euthanized the third horse on Friday, as well.
Further evidence into the investigation revealed a finding of four other horses buried on the Waldoboro property.
The landowner is not under investigation, Labombarde said, nor is the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.
“She (property owner) doesn’t know about horses, she has cats,” he said, adding the property owner has been very helpful.
Labombarde said the landowner, who for the purposes of the investigation has not been named, let someone use her property to hold the horses.
“She let him put horses in there, because he didn’t have any other place to put them,” Labombarde said.
Labombarde said he hopes to have an arrest by Christmas. Investigators are working with the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, the Dept. of Animal Welfare, the District Attorney’s Office, a veterinarian from Wiscasset and the Waldoboro Animal Control Officer.
Necropsies on the deceased horses in the stalls were sent to Purdue University to be analyzed. Out of a total of 15 horses from the Waldoboro property, seven are dead.
“There has been a huge outpouring of support to keep these (surviving) animals healthy,” Labombarde said, adding that people throughout the community have made contributions of hay and other items.
People have also stepped forward to adopt the remaining horses.
