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'No rush to judgment' in horse deaths, official says

So far, neither Barbara Pilchard or Paige Pilchard, the farm's owners, have been charged in connection with the case.

SALISBURY, Md. (Delmarva Now) -- Officials say they have begun the task of “methodically investigating” the conditions at a Quantico farm where dozens of horses were found dead over the weekend.

During a Tuesday afternoon news conference, Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis described the situation as a “heartbreaking case of irresponsibility and incompetence” on behalf of the owner, but said it will take time before any potential charges are sought.

The news conference, which also featured Interim State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes and Humane Society of Wicomico County Director Aaron Balsamo, comes on the tail of the recovery of 25 dead horses and the rescue of about 100 more feral ones throughout the weekend from a 150-acre farm on Cherry Walk Road in Quantico.

So far, neither Barbara Pilchard or Paige Pilchard, the farm’s owners, have been charged in connection with the case.

"There will be no rush to judgment," Dykes said. "Charging a crime is not anything we take lightly."

Forensic evidence, including necropsies of the dead horses and follow-up veterinary care of the surviving horses, are key elements in the case that will need to be carefully assessed over the next few months before making any decision about potential charges.

SEE ALSO: 'Shocking, horrendous': Dozens of dead horses found

However, Lewis said criminal citations or summonses for Barbara Pilchard were issued at least four times in the past for illegal dumping because of horse feces. She pleaded guilty to one of those charges in 2016 and was given a 30-day suspended sentence and period of probation.

“We were creative in just charging her with that because we had nothing else to charge her with, but her animals were dumping feces on other people’s lawns, in their gardens, in their flower beds, on the roadway,” he said. “If you were to have ridden down Cherry Walk Road in 2015, you would’ve thought you were riding through Jurassic Park.”

PHOTOS: Scene from Quantico horse farm

In total, Lewis said sheriff’s deputies visited the Cherry Walk Road property at least 81 times over the past several years, largely because of complaints that the horses were roaming the roadway and neighboring homes.

An 18-page record of complaints about the Pilchard farm provided by the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office shows a total of 83 calls from Nov. 20, 2010, through March 16, 2018.

The 18 months Pilchard was on probation did have some effect, Dykes said, and Lewis confirmed that calls about the farm calmed down until she was accused of violating her probation in 2017.

At the request of the sheriff’s office, Lewis said the Maryland Department of Agriculture, along with the state veterinarian and the executive director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board, inspected the Pilchard farm in 2015.

They produced a list of recommendations regarding the care of six horses “showing signs of neglect from inadequate feed or veterinary care,” he said, and the sheriff’s office worked with the Humane Society of Wicomico County on ensuring they were implemented.

In response to the many calls and complaints about the loose horses, Lewis said deputies made contact or attempted to make contact with the owner. While they worked to address the concerns about the unsecured horses, he said they did not have the authority to go into the backyard.

It wasn't until Saturday morning that Lewis said he was able to walk onto the fenced-in portion of the property and understood the “absolutely inhumane” conditions the horses had been living in.

"I would not allow my dog to walk through that property, let alone live on the property," he said.

He said the horses were standing in manure that was as deep as 18 inches in some areas, and removing and transporting them has been a “Herculean task.”

Balsamo said he was still working to total the number of horses that have already been transported from the farm, but estimated that about 32 remained. Efforts to transport them to rescues were stalled by the weather, he said, but were expected to resume Thursday or Friday.

In addition to the rescues in Maryland and Delaware that have volunteered to take horses in, Balsamo said one in Pennsylvania and another in New Jersey have also stepped up.

Three of the horses have had to be euthanized, and Lewis said two foals have been stillborn since Saturday. An additional 15 to 20 mares are pregnant as well, and more foals could be born within the next several hours.

Want to help? Monetary donations can be made to the Humane Society of Wicomico County with the notation "Bless Our Horses."

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