It’s been nearly two months since Cumberland County Animal Services removed seven horses — two adults and five juveniles — from Witts End Quarter Horses, resulting in arrests and charges of animal abuse.
Austin Wayne Simpson, 25, an employee at Witts End, was charged with cruelty to animals and felony conspiracy; Kylie Parker, 24, who reportedly owns the business, was charged with cruelty to animals and felony conspiracy. The arrests were made after medical records showed felony-level injuries to a juvenile horse.
The pair’s next court date is Wednesday.
As for the horses? Their new caretakers say they have a long journey ahead.
Faith, one of the fillies — the term is used to describe a female juvenile horse — and her mother have been boarded at Foundation Equine Clinic in Vass since Aug. 23 because of Faith’s extensive injuries and health conditions sustained from the alleged abuses at Witts End.
Foundation Equine Clinic is a veterinary practice that provides primary and specialty care solely for horses.
Faith’s injuries and illnesses include a severed tricep muscle, a partially broken humerus, and a crooked pelvis from a fractured vertebrae; she was also suffering from worms and severe pneumonia, according to a recent Foundation Equine Clinic’s Facebook post. She has been receiving care from a team of equine veterinarians at the clinic, who have announced she’s learning to trust humans again. Faith’s medical care includes splinting and wrapping her leg injury every other day, as well as antibiotics and pain medication, according to a video the Foundation posted.
CCAS made a Facebook post last week detailing the care given to the horses at the clinic, as well as an appeal for donations to help provide ongoing care for the horses — the cost of which has exceeded $20,000.
“She (Faith) has been receiving top-notch care at Foundation Equine Clinic,” the Animal Services department wrote in the post. “To continue paying for the care Faith needs, as well as that of other animals that come into the Shelter, we need additional donations to the Animal Medical Fund.”
At Monday's Cumberland County commissioners’ meeting, the board approved $24,126 in additional funds for CCAS’ Animal Medical Fund to help cover expenses for the rehomed horses..
CCAS did not immediately respond to requests from CityView for comment on Tuesday, but previously said it was seeking donations of the following items for the horses’ care:
More information about the shelter’s current needs can be found here.
Contact Char Morrison at cmorrison@cityviewnc.com.
