A cruelty to animals case was taken after a Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputy went with Golden Belt Humane Society Director Gayle Broberg to check on a horse without water, Tuesday afternoon in the 300 block of South U.S. 281.
Broberg said she took 2.5 gallons of water to the horse, and it drank it all. The BSCO service log shows the time was 1:41 p.m. It was 91 degrees at the time, Broberg said.
GBHS does not have facilities to house horses, but could have taken the horse to a private location, for a fee, if necessary, Broberg said. That wasn’t done in this instance.
“This horse was in OK physical condition,” she said, “but it was way too hot for it not to have water.”  By Wednesday the horse had been moved and Broberg said she hopes it is in a better location. Her attempts to contact the horse’s owner had not been successful as of Wednesday afternoon.
The investigation is continuing and no charges have been filed.
It is important for all animals to have access to water, especially at this time of year, Broberg said. The number of reports such as this is increasing. Although animal control officers have the authority to investigate any case of suspected animal abuse, Broberg said they try to work with the animals’ owners.