SNOW HILL — The former owner of 16 Greene County horses, two of which were found dead and the rest malnourished, was arrested Thursday night.
Carl Shelton Davis, 68, a farmer who resides at 1771 Mark Edwards Road in Goldsboro, was charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty and 14 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.
Sheriff Lemmie Smith said Davis was found at his residence in Wayne County and charged.
After receiving a call about a dead horse from a neighbor of Davis, authorities found the horses in a pasture with no food or water.
The dead horses appeared to have been deceased for several days, Greene County Health Director Michael Rhodes said.
The 16 horses hadn’t been fed and watered for more than a month, Rhodes said, but Davis had been feeding daily another horse in an adjoining pasture that was owned by his father.
Davis was placed under a $15,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in Greene County District Court on Dec. 20.
Smith said the 14 horses were in poor condition.
“When they (find) a couple of horses dead, it’s kind of severe,” he said.
Davis signed the horses over to the county and they are currently under the care of a veterinarian until they can be adopted.
Greene County’s animal control budget currently is depleted.
To donate money for horse feed, call the Greene County Health Department at 252-747-8181.
Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.
