The deal was reached in the lead-up to a court hearing to decide custody of the 16 donkeys, six horses, three miniature horses, five cattle and two dogs seized from the property in Van Zandt County.The agreement was reached between the Van Zandt County District Attorney, the animals’ owners, Judge Don Kirkpatrick and the SPCA of Texas.The owners signed the animals over to the SPCA.During the investigation, it was discovered that the animals had two owners, a father and son.”The horses were so severely malnourished that it was difficult to determine their age,” said Colby Grady, chief investigator for the SPCA of Texas.”They looked to be 10 years older than they actually were.”The animals will now be individually evaluated for potential adoption or placement on a case by case basis.The animals were suffering from neglect due to lack of appropriate care, food, water and shelter.The heat wave in North Texas put the animals’ health at even greater risk. Three of the horses were considered close to death at the time of the operation and were not moved before veterinary approval was given.All of the animals were roaming the fenced property, some in a pasture and some in a pen, but none had access to water or shelter.The pasture and pen were bare, the SPCA said.What few hay bales that had been observed on the property were inadequate to feed 32 animals and some of the animals were in dire need of veterinary care.The SPCA said the worst three horses have been placed on a special feeding programme.The animals continue to be treated for various medical issues such as wounds, abscesses and other skin problems.The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Department received a call regarding the condition of the animals on August 2, and began trying to work with the son regarding the lack of care.Three severely underweight horses were seen on the property on that date.Three days later, an SPCA of Texas investigator visited with the Sheriff’s department and observed the same three severely underweight horses.The son said he had recently taken those horses to a vet and that the horses were fine.However, because he could not provide veterinary records, the SPCA of Texas and the Sheriff’s department outlined an agreement for the son to bring the horses’ conditions into compliance with the Texas Health and Safety Code; specifically, to take the three severely underweight horses to a veterinarian for evaluation by August 7.On August 7, the Sheriff’s department went to the property on another complaint over a separate incident and followed up with the son about the horses.He said he had been too busy to take the horses to see a veterinarian.The Sheriff’s department contacted the SPCA of Texas about the son not complying, and then both agencies made several attempts to contact the owner, but he was unresponsive.On August 16, the Sheriff’s department executed a search warrant on the property, with the SPCA of Texas present to observe the animals’ conditions.It was at this time that the full extent of the neglect became apparent, and the SPCA of Texas concurred with the Van Zandt Sheriff’s Department that it was in the animals’ best interest to obtain a seizure warrant and remove them immediately.SPCA of Texas vehicles took the animals to the Perry Animal Care Centre in McKinney, where they were examined by medical staff and are being cared for. 

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