Heidi Henninger and Carla Fasig were found guilty of 13 counts of animal cruelty on September 17, 2004 in Wadsworth Municipal Court.  The cruelty charges were 6 counts against Carla Fasig and 7 counts against Heidi Henninger in violation of Ohio Revised Code 959.13.  The first six counts were the same for each woman.  The following is a brief description of each count.  

            Count One was for keeping one or more of 25 horses in filthy unsanitary conditions and or not providing adequate grooming or veterinary care that unjustifiable pain or suffering was caused permitted or allowed to continue when there was a reasonable remedy or relief.  These animals had urine scalds on their legs bellies and sides.  They had extensive hair loss and open soars from being forced to lie in their own feces and urine.   Some of the stalls were two feet deep in manure.  The horses’ skin and hair was literally burned off of their bodies from the urine.

            Count Two was for confining one or more of 35 horses without supplying them a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food or water.  These horses were severely under weight.  You could see their ribs and backbones.  Some suffered from such severe malnutrition that the horses’ muscles were wasting away.  Their skulls were evident.

            Count Three was for confining one bay mare known as Dolly without supplying a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food or water.  Count Four was for confining a mare known as Tara without supplying a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food or water.  Count Five was for confining one mare known as Angel without supplying a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food or water.  These three horses were dehydrated and emaciated.  They hung their heads and were unresponsive.  They were like skeletons with heartbeats.

            Count Six was for confining one mare known as Madonna in filthy and unsanitary conditions where unjustifiable pain was caused or allowed to continue and without supplying a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food or water.  Madonna was pregnant and wasting away.  The bones in her face were protruding.  Her backbone and ribs were sticking out.  The urine scalds covered over fifty percent of her body.  She had open soars and extreme hair loss.   The baby inside her was taking almost everything from her. Count Seven, against Heidi only, was for keeping a bay weanling in filthy unsanitary conditions andor not providing adequate veterinary care that unjustifiable pain or suffering wascaused or permittedto continue when there was a reasonable remedy or relief.   This baby was leftina filthy stall causingurine scalds on her legs.  She became ill from the open soars and theinfectionspread.  Once a veterinarian arrived it was too late.  The baby was septic, full of infection unresponsive and dying.

            These horses stood and waited for care.  Waited for someone to bring them water and food.  They were shut in dark dank filthy stalls and no one came.  They waited.  Some of the other horses were fed and watered and cleaned but not these horses.  They stood and could smell the food in the next stall.  Could hear the horse next to them eating, but they just waited.   Finally lying down in their own urine and feces as their skin burned.  

            All the horses from this case once in good homes responded quickly to food, water, wormer and clean stalls.  Many volunteers gave of their hearts, their homes (or should I say barns) and their pocketbooks to stop the suffering for these wonderful animals.   All are in good hands and look terrific.  Within weeks these horses’ personalities began to unveil themselves.  Some of the horses are outgoing, some shy, some cuddly, a few are silly but all are a joy to be around.  To see the happiness on their faces, their shiny coats, good weight and muscles. It was not extraordinary care that made these animals better it was extraordinary people.