NORTH BRANCH, Minn — A horse owner in North Branch was convicted of animal cruelty after it was found that she neglected a number of horses in her possession.
On September 5, 2019, the Animal Humane Society Investigations Department received a complaint on the welfare of 20 horses located on the property of Carmen Marie Burth off of Hemingway Ave. in North Branch. The complaint said the horses were "very thin," had little food and no shelter.
Multiple welfare checks by the Animal Humane Society Investigations Department revealed the Burth was neglecting the horses on her property, and she was advised to take better care of the animals.
On November 13, 2019 a search warrant for the property was obtained by the North Branch Police Department, and the horses were evaluated. Body Condition Scores (BCS) on a scale of one to nine were assigned to each horse, with over half the horses receiving scores between one and three. They were found to have several issues, including overgrown hooves, lice, knotted manes/tails and possible dermatitis.
Of the 20 horses on the property, 11 were seized and taken to the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation.
Burth has been charged with misdemeanor violation of animal cruelty. She faces up to 90 days in jail or $1,000 in fines.
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