| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: MACIAS, JOSEPH 0756 (AR13-6708) DID UNLAWFULLY AND UNNECESSARILY OVERLOAD, OVERDRIVE, TORTURE, TORMENT, DEPRIVE OF NECESSARY SUSTENANCE OR SHELTER, OR UNNECESSARILY OR CRUELLY BEAT, MUTILATE, OR KILL ANY ANIMAL OR CAUSE THE SAME TO BE DONE, IN THAT SHE DID FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE NOURISHMENT AND/OR MEDICAL CARE TO AN ILL HORSE, RESULTING IN IT NECESSITATING EUTHANASIA (B), IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATUTE 828.12; (FIRST DEGREE MISDEMEANOR) ON 080113, AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO 9761 SOUTH ARABIAN AVENUE, FLORAL CITY, TO ASSIST ANIMAL CONTROL, IN REFERENCE TO A REPORTED ANIMAL CRUELTY. UPON MY ARRIVAL ON SCENE, I MADE CONTACT WITH ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER TERRY FUNDERBURK. HE ADVISED THAT A VETERINARIAN HAD RESPONDED TO THE SCENE TO EUTHANIZE A MALNOURISHED HORSE. OFFICER FUNDERBURK SHOWED THIS DEPUTY THE HORSE, AND I OBSERVED THAT THE HORSE WAS EMACIATED, WITH BONES CLEARLY VISIBLE. THE HOOVES ON THE HORSE WERE UNKEMPT AND CLEARLY HAD NOT BEEN TRIMMED OR CARED FOR IN A LONG TIME. AT THIS TIME, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT, MS TAMMI WALSH KAMPMAN. SHE ADVISED THAT SHE WAS THE OWNER OF THE NOW DECEASED HORSE, WHO WAS NAMED MARY. SHE ADVISED THAT THE HORSE HAD BEEN LOSING WEIGHT OVER THE LAST YEAR FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT SHE HAD TRIED SEVERAL METHODS OF TRYING TO HELP THE HORSE GAIN WEIGHT AND IMPROVE, OF WHICH HAD WORKED. THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT SHE HAD FRIENDS COME OVER WHO HAD KNOWLEDGE OF EQUINE CARE, AND THAT THEY HAD TRIED TO HELP SUGGEST TREATMENTS FOR HER HORSE, BUT THAT OF THESE HAD WORKED, EITHER. THE DEFENDANT STATED THAT HER FRIENDS HAD TOLD THAT BECAUSE MARY WAS AN ARABIAN HORSE, AND OLD, THAT THEY START TO LOOK MALNOURISHED AS THEY AGE. THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, HER HORSEâS CONDITION HAD STEADILY DETERIORATED. I THEN MADE CONTACT WITH THE DAUGHTER OF THE DEFENDANT, MS MIRANDA KAMPMAN, WITNESS. SHE ADVISED THAT THE HORSE HAD BEEN LOSING WEIGHT FOR SOME TIME NOW, APPROXIMATELY A YEAR. SHE ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT HAD TRIED DIFFERENT HORSE FEEDS TO ENCOURAGE THE HORSE TO GAIN WEIGHT, BUT THAT THEY HAD NOT WORKED. I ASKED HER HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE SHE HAD ABOUT HORSES, AND SHE ADVISED THAT SHE ONLY KNEW HOW TO RIDE AND FEED THEM. WITNESS MS KAMPMAN COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. OFFICER FUNDERBURK ADVISED THAT HE HAD COLLECTED SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENTS FROM THE NEIGHBORS. WITNESS TWO, MS MARGARET CHANDLER, ADVISED THAT SHE HAD OBSERVED THE DEFENDANTâS HORSE AS IT WAS NEGLECTED FOR MONTHS. SHE STATED THAT IT WAS âFAR GONE,â AND THAT SHE HAD CALLED ANIMAL CONTROL ON THE HORSEâS CONDITION SEVERAL TIMES. MS CHANDLER ADVISED THAT SHE HAD OFFERED HER PASTURE TO THE DEFENDANTS FAMILY, AND OFFERED TO LET THE HORSE STAY IN HER OVERGROWN PASTURE. SHE ADVISED THAT THE DEFENDANT HAD REFUSED. MS CHANDLER ADVISED THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN WITH THE DEFENDANT AT LENGTH REGARDING THE DETERIORATING CONDITION OF HER HORSE, BUT THAT THE DEFENDANT HAD NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND REFUSED HER OFFERS OF HELP. MS CHANDLER ADVISED THAT SHE HERSELF OWNS FOUR HORSES, AND THAT THE DEFENDANTâS HORSE LIKELY COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED IF THEY HAD CALLED A VETERINARIAN EARLIER TO CHECK OUT THE HORSE. WITNESS THREE, MS CHERYL PENCE, ADVISED THAT SHE WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE HORSE, MARY. SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD GIVEN THE HORSE TO THE DEFENDANT IN 2009. MS PENCE ADVISED THAT THE HORSE HAD BEEN IN GREAT HEALTH CONDITION AT THAT TIME. SHE ADVISED THAT SHE HAD COME OVER TO THE DEFENDANTâS RESIDENCE MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, AS SHE HAD OBSERVED IT TO BE IN POOR HEALTH AND RAPIDLY LOSING WEIGHT. MS PENCE ADVISED THAT SHE HAD ASKED THE DEFENDANT TO GIVE HER THE HORSE BACK, AS SHE WOULD TREAT WHATEVER ITS CONDITION MAY BE PROPERLY, BUT THE DEFENDANT REFUSED TO GIVE MS PENCE THE HORSE BACK. WITNESS FOUR, MS MARSHA Y ABBEY, ADVISED THAT SHE HAD OBSERVED THE HORSE SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEFENDANTâS PROPERTY. MS ABBEY STATED THAT SINCE ITS ARRIVAL, THE HORSE BECAME THIN, AND HAD BEGUN TO EAT THE BARK OFF OF THE TREES, AS THOUGH IT WAS STARVING. MS ABBEY STATED THAT SHE HAD NEVER ONCE SEEN THE DEFENDANT OR HER FAMILY CARING FOR THE HORSE, OR BRING IT OUT TO THE YARD TO GRAZE. ALL WITNESSâ SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENTS WERE COLLECTED BY THIS DEPUTY, AND LATER TURNED IN TO CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECORDS DIVISION. BASED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY OFFICER FUNDERBURK, THE CORROBORATING WITNESS STATEMENTS, AND THE OBVIOUS ILL HEALTH AND NEGLECT OF THE EMACIATED AND NOW EXPIRED HORSE; THE DEFENDANT WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST, FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY, REFERENCE FLORIDA STATE STATUTE NUMBER 828.12(1). SHE WAS HANDCUFFED, DOUBLE LOCKED BEHIND HER BACK, AND SECURED IN THE REAR OF MY PATROL VEHICLE. I THEN TRANSPORTED THE DEFENDANT TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY. UPON ARRIVAL, SHE WAS RELEASED TO DETENTION FACILITY STAFF, FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. THE DEFENDANT WAS CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF ANIMAL CRUELTY, WITH HER BOND SET AT $500.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. FURTHER INFORMATION TO BE SUPPLEMENT BY ANIMAL CONTROL, AND DOCUMENTATION TO BE TURNED IN BY THE VETERINARIAN ON SCENE. |
