TCSO Looks to Rehome Horses Taken from Owner Charged with Cruelty

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office is looking for a good home for two adult horses seized from a Cottondale man charged this week with animal cruelty.

Deputy Martha Hocutt, an animal control officer with the sheriff's office, said police were alerted to the poor condition of the horses in July when they were spotted wandering on property neighboring their owner's.

Hocutt said the horses were both badly emaciated and were immediately taken into the custody of the sheriff's office.

Almost five months later, after a veterinarian was able to conduct a series of exams that indicated that the horses were deprived of food and water for a lengthy period of time, Hoccutt obtained warrants to charge the horses' former owner with two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

The owner was arrested Thursday evening and booked in the Tuscaloosa County Jail.

The Tuscaloosa Thread's policy is to only release the names of suspects charged with felonies except in extreme extenuating circumstances, so the owner of the horses will not be identified here.

Hocutt said Friday that the horses have been in the care of the sheriff's department for 137 days, and animal control is looking to re-home them both with responsible owners.

She said both horses are adult males and were formerly showhorses. Their names are Spanky and Iggy, and have returned to good health under the care of the sheriff's office.

Any responsible owner interested in providing the horses with a good home can contact the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office at 205-752-0616.