Live and Dead Animals Found in Van Zandt County

CANTON – Van Zandt County authorities have seized 87 animals from some property near Canton where they found 50 dead horses. According to the SPCA of Texas, the animals consist of 70 horses, 9 donkeys, 6 pigs and 1 longhorn. More than half of the horses, the donkeys and the longhorn were roaming on a large, fenced pasture on the property. They had no access to food and little to no access to water. The other horses were confined to two smaller pastures on the property with no access to food and minimal water. They said the horses were so desperate for food that they were eating the bark off of the trees, leaving some trees completely bare. The pigs were confined to a small wire pen with no access to food. The animals, which were seized on Tuesday, will be examined by medical staff and cared for until a custody hearing takes place. That is scheduled to be held in Canton on April 19th.