BOONE, COLO. -- A Southern Colorado woman has been arrested, accused of severely neglecting dozens of animals.
Pueblo Animal Services, a division of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, carried out a warrant last Friday at a home in Boone.
There they found more than 60 animals.
"The conditions of the animals were very poor, as well as their living conditions, animals living in mud, urine and their own feces," Joe Stafford said.
Stafford is the Director of Animal Law Enforcement with the Humane Society.
He said the animals removed from the home include 30 equines, 31 dogs, a cat and a llama.
There were also two dead horses and a dead donkey on the property.
Stafford said this is one of the worst cases of animal cruelty he has ever seen.
"A good example, there was one dog who was running loose on the property, just allowed to roam freely, and that dog it appeared had been feeding on one of the deceased animals on the property just to survive," Stafford said.
All of the animals have been removed from the property., and are now recovering at the Pueblo Animal Services Shelter, and livestock facility.
The Humane Society said they are working to examine them, and determine what kind of medical treatment they need.
"For a very thin horse, it is going to take up to at least three months to get that horse back up to a decent body weight," Stafford said.
As for their owner, Valarie Christine Harris, this is not her first run in with the law.
Back in 2007 and 2009, she was charged with and convicted of cruelty to animals.
"I would like to see her get the maximum sentence and not be allowed to own animals again, because obviously she has proven on multiple occasions that she is incapable of caring for them," Stafford said.
Right now the Humane Society said none of the animals are available for adoption, although they are hoping they will be in the near future.
If you would like to help with their recovery, Pueblo Animal Services is in need of monetary donations.
For additional details click here.
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