Auburn woman pleads not guilty to horse abuse
KING COUNTY, Wash. -- An Auburn woman pleaded not guilty to four counts of animal cruelty months after county animal control officers and city code investigators removed nearly 50 horses from her property.
Court papers allege half a dozen horses at Pacific Equestrian Center were infested with lice and suffered from rain rot. But in court, owner Dean Solomon denied any wrongdoing.
"She's in a horse rescue operation and these horses came to them in very poor condition and they were doing what they could to treat them and make them better," said Solomon's attorney Mark Prothero.
Auburn Code Compliance Officer Don Stephens says piles of horse manure lined Solomon's barn when he visited her property in January. At least four dozen horses crowded the 11-acre lot, which contained four times the number of animals allowed by city code.
"I couldn't put it to you in tons or poundage but let's just say there was an awful lot of waste," Stephens said.
Stephens says Solomon insisted she had an agreement with the county to take on more than the code allowed. She removed horses from her property after he and animal control officers pressured her.
Court documents allege Solomon starved and neglected animals in need of medical treatment. One horse had hooves that were extremely overgrown and was foot sore in all four feet.
A veterinarian euthanized two horses that were "unnecessarily suffering and in considerable pain," documents state.
Veterinarian Charles Emig says the horses were sick before Solomon rescued them. Emig helped her treat the animals and says Solomon took on more than she could handle.
"Some of them are going to fall by the side like war," he said. "But she has done more good than she does harm and she has absolutely not starved them."
Emig insists Solomon nursed at least 30 horses back to health last year and adopted them out. Only one remains at Solomon's property in Auburn, but Emig says she purchased 10 new horses at an auction a few weeks ago and cared for them on a property he refused to identify.
Nearly two dozen horses are now at Serenity Equine Rescue in Maple Valley.
Prosecuting attorney Julie Klein requested that a King County judge order the newly acquired horses be removed from Solomon's property as well. His decision is expected later this week.
Court papers allege half a dozen horses at Pacific Equestrian Center were infested with lice and suffered from rain rot. But in court, owner Dean Solomon denied any wrongdoing.
"She's in a horse rescue operation and these horses came to them in very poor condition and they were doing what they could to treat them and make them better," said Solomon's attorney Mark Prothero.
Auburn Code Compliance Officer Don Stephens says piles of horse manure lined Solomon's barn when he visited her property in January. At least four dozen horses crowded the 11-acre lot, which contained four times the number of animals allowed by city code.
"I couldn't put it to you in tons or poundage but let's just say there was an awful lot of waste," Stephens said.
Stephens says Solomon insisted she had an agreement with the county to take on more than the code allowed. She removed horses from her property after he and animal control officers pressured her.
Court documents allege Solomon starved and neglected animals in need of medical treatment. One horse had hooves that were extremely overgrown and was foot sore in all four feet.
A veterinarian euthanized two horses that were "unnecessarily suffering and in considerable pain," documents state.
Veterinarian Charles Emig says the horses were sick before Solomon rescued them. Emig helped her treat the animals and says Solomon took on more than she could handle.
"Some of them are going to fall by the side like war," he said. "But she has done more good than she does harm and she has absolutely not starved them."
Emig insists Solomon nursed at least 30 horses back to health last year and adopted them out. Only one remains at Solomon's property in Auburn, but Emig says she purchased 10 new horses at an auction a few weeks ago and cared for them on a property he refused to identify.
Nearly two dozen horses are now at Serenity Equine Rescue in Maple Valley.
Prosecuting attorney Julie Klein requested that a King County judge order the newly acquired horses be removed from Solomon's property as well. His decision is expected later this week.