A Boone County resident told the county board on April 17 that he had submitted video evidence to the sheriff's office showing alleged animal mistreatment at a recent rodeo and urged the county to act.

Steve Hendy of 43799 Oakleaf Drive in Auburn told the board he delivered video files to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and said the sheriff had appointed an investigator. "That video footage will show that the bibs that are required for both people who are contestants and working on with animals in the back was violated many times on Saturday," Hendy said during public comment.

Hendy described repeated runs for some animals, saying one steer was run about 15 times and that the group counted 47 steers that together were used more than 400 times. He said injured animals were reused and described what he characterized as rough handling by some handlers. "There was a veterinarian there — that's good — but the veterinarian spent most of her time in the car not with the animals so she doesn't see those injured steers coming off," Hendy said.

Hendy also said he observed open alcohol and that minors appeared to be drinking at the event. He told the board he had raised the issue at the scene and that similar problems had occurred at the same location seven times previously.

Board Chair Brian Curry (recorded in the transcript as "Mr. Curry") is reported in the transcript as having called the sheriff on Saturday night after the incident; Hendy thanked Curry for that action during his remarks. The transcript records the public comment and Hendy’s statement that an investigation was underway.

Why it matters: Hendy's statement prompted law-enforcement follow-up and placed animal-welfare and public-safety concerns on the board’s public-comment record. The sheriff's office was described by Hendy as having received evidence; the transcript does not include further updates from the sheriff or details of any formal county action beyond the reported appointment of an investigator.

Ending: Hendy concluded by urging sustained attention to the matter; the board's minutes record his public comment and the submitted video evidence as part of the meeting record.