Residents urge DA review after deaths of two horses; county officials defend animal-control practice

Public comment at the Haywood County Board of Commissioners meeting on April 20 focused on allegations of long‑running animal neglect tied to the deaths of two horses, Sam and Buster.

Howard Neper, who spoke for a group, urged county officials to 'get with the director, Mr. Martin, and maybe share the information with the district attorney' so the prosecutor can determine whether criminal charges are warranted. Neper described the animals’ deaths as 'terrible' and said the community needs clarity about government response so cases like this do not recur.

Jesse Loger said he filed repeated reports to Haywood County Animal Services beginning June 21, 2025, provided photos and videos showing emaciated and sick animals, and referenced case number A25-02244. 'By June 2025, just 7 months later, he had gone from healthy to severely deteriorated,' Loger said, saying animal control did not remove animals despite multiple reports.

Jennifer Jones, a volunteer with Dream Haven Rescue, said Sam’s worm count and extreme emaciation met North Carolina criminal‑statute thresholds. Citing North Carolina statutes 14‑360 and 14‑361, she said depriving an animal of necessary sustenance is animal cruelty and 'when that deprivation results in death by starvation, it can be a class H felony.' Based on Sam's condition, she said, 'I believe that standard was met and the owner responsible should be criminally charged.'

Karen Owens, who identified herself with Owens Star Ranch, urged an independent IT audit of animal‑control intake numbers and records, questioned whether feral cat intakes were recorded consistently and criticized the animal‑control director’s approach to enforcement. 'We need an independent third‑party IT professional to audit the data and verify what's really happening,' she said.

Commissioners and the chair responded during the meeting, saying they understood the seriousness of the complaints and stressing that animal‑control officers operate under state law. Chairman Ansley and other commissioners defended the county staff’s intentions and said evidence determines whether an enforcement action rises to the level of criminal referral. 'If there was enough evidence to convict someone, I'm sure the DA would do that,' the chair said, adding that the county must follow statutory procedures.

What happens next: Commissioners did not vote on any policy or enforcement action at the meeting. Several residents requested that county management coordinate with animal‑control leadership and, where appropriate, provide information to the district attorney; commissioners said they would review the matter within statutory limits and follow up. The public can review the animal‑control case referenced by speakers using the case number provided in public comment.

Ending: The board moved on to posted agenda items after public comment, including budget presentations and recovery updates.