Dead, Starving Animals Found In Bannock County

Bannock County officials say they found 34 dead or starving horses and other farm animals in the worst case of animal neglect in more than a decade.
Sheriff's deputies found the animals Friday at a rural property north of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. The owner has not been charged. Idaho doesn't have a felony law for cruelty to animals, so the incident is being investigated as misdemeanor cruelty to animals.
Sheriff Lorin Nielsen says a veterinarian will perform necropsies to determine whether the animals died of disease or neglect. He says the veterinarian had to put two animals down.
Nielsen says deputies will make sure the animals have food and drinkable water over the weekend.
This case is being actively investigated and the suspect in this case has been cooperative. There have been several animals that have succumbed to starvation or disease, but there are about 30 head of horses and cattle that are in desperate need of hay. It is beyond the owner's current capacity to feed these surviving animals, and we are therefore urgently requesting help from the public that may have some feed to spare. Any amount of hay, even one or two bales, would be gratefully accepted. The Bannock County Sheriff's Office is also working with animal welfare groups and veterinarians to assist these animals in their time of need. If anyone can provide some assistance, they can call the Bannock County Sheriff's Office at 208-236-7111, or deliver any amount of feed to the Bannock County Fairgrounds, building C (the blue building). Just open the overhead door and leave the feed inside