Ginger, a 10-year-old mare, Tuesday, March 24, 2015, at Indiana Horse Rescue in Frankfort. Ginger and two other horses were removed from a property in Williamsport on March 6. Although the horses show signs of neglect, because they had access to some food and water, it appears the owner did not violate Indiana's animal neglect law. (Photo: John Terhune/Journal & Courier)
A trio of starved and dehydrated horses is recovering after being removed from a Williamsport property by police.
More alarming, however, is it appears the owner, in failing to properly care for the animals, didn't actually commit a crime, according to Indiana law.
The situation exposes a wrinkle in the state's animal neglect law that allows animal owners to nearly starve their animals and leaves police officials potentially powerless to levy charges against them.
"He appears to have found a loophole in the law," said Jamie Showers, facility manager of Frankfort's Indiana Horse Rescue, which is nursing the horses back to health.
In mid-February, police first received a complaint of animal neglect at a Williamsport property. There the responding officer found five horses, four of them in poor health.
The only violation was the lack of shelter for the horses, according to a report filed by the responding deputy. The owner told the deputy that the shelter had fallen down and that he would replace it the next day.
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