Man Charged for Abusing Animals
A Mid-Missouri farmer was charged on Friday after allegedly starving more than 40 animals.George Davis is facing two misdemeanors for abusing animals and not disposing of their bodies properly. The accusations carry a maximum penalty of one year in the county jail or a $1,000 fine. Last week, authorities rescued the animals on a farm near Highway 63 north of Vienna in Maries County. Officials found several animal remains on the property.Davis appeared in court Tuesday to sign over the rights to the animals. Davis also denies allegations he starved them to death. Instead, Davis is blaming the tough economic times for the situation and the drought for a lack of food.”It’s probably been a month or two,” said Davis. “All I can get was straw.”The Humane Society and sheriff’s office documented numerous animals near the brink of death last Thursday.”In this pen, hogs were eating on the dead horses,” said Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman. “It was a very disturbing scene.”Heitman said one horse was shot six times and left to be eaten by other animals.Davis says he had more than 100 farm animals on his 180 acres of land prior to the seizure. He told ABC 17 News repeatedly he did not do anything wrong and wishes he could have the animals back so he could at least sell them for money.
