On May 7th, 2023, Brandie Hart of Cincinnati, Ohio pleaded guilty to nine counts of cruelty to animals in the second degree stemming from the neglect of nine horses she owned and housed in Southern Kenton County.
As a condition of her plea, Ms. Hart is banned from owning any horses for two years and will be ordered to reimburse the County for the cost of their care.
Six of the nine horses had been previously released to Kenton County Animal Services (KCAS) while three remained in protective custody. As a result of this court case, the remaining three horses were forfeited to KCAS.
“I couldn't be more proud of our Animal Control team, especially Officer Billy Ray who pursued this investigation and saw it through to the end,” said KCAS Director Kelsey Maccombs.
On December 22, 2022, with assistance from the Kenton County Attorney’s Office, the Kenton County Sheriff and Kenton County Police, Animal Control Officers executed a search warrant for a property in southern Kenton County which resulted in the removal of nine horses suffering from abuse and neglect. The search warrant was obtained after a tip from a concerned citizen. Ms. Hart was arrested on January 5th.
Two horses were located in a pasture while the other seven were located inside the barn, two of which were housed in a stall designed for only one. The horses were severely underweight, some with visible hip and rib bones. Several were overdue for teeth floating and hoof trimming. One of the nine horses perished due to the severity of their neglect.
All eight surviving horses have found placement in new homes.
This investigation began after a call from a concerned citizen. If you see or suspect animal abuse or neglect, please call Kenton County Animal Services through Kenton County non-emergency dispatch a (859) 356-3191, or your local law enforcement agency.
Kenton County Animal Services is the primary law enforcement and animal sheltering agency for domestic animals in Kenton County.