More than 230 traumatized animals have been awarded to the Humane Society of North Texas in what some volunteers say could be one of the largest recorded livestock rescues due to cruelty in Texas.
The animals, including 168 horses and 67 cattle, were awarded to the Humane Society by a district judge after complaints that they were starving and in medical danger, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Sunday.
Authorities confiscated the animals from a ranch near Blum on March 5. The ranch's owner, Gregory W. Brinkley, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer and 25 counts of animal cruelty. He was arrested after allegedly pointing a shotgun with a pistol grip at two sheriff's deputies as they were attempting to assess the situation at the ranch, located in Hill County.
Brinkley, 50, remained in the Hill County Law Enforcement Center Sunday,a jail spokesman told The Associated Press. His bail has been set at $1 million on the assault charges and $50,000 on the animal cruelty charges. There was no listing of an attorney in the center's records, according to the jail spokesman.
An estimated 25 to 30 animal carcasses were found on the property along with the injured and emaciated animals.
"This is probably the most overwhelming situation I've been in during my 25-year career," said Sandy Granbolt, the Humane Society's equine and livestock program coordinator.
The Humane Society spends $2,000 daily caring for and feeding the animals. Officials said they hope many of the animals can be adopted, according to Tammy Hawley, the group's operations director.
