Starving Horses Found On Bartow County Farm

Officials with the Bartow County Sheriff's Office said an Adairsville man has been charged with cruelty to animals after they found a dead horse on his property and six others were found severely underweight.

A Department of Agriculture investigator, a Bartow County sheriff’s deputy and a veterinarian executed a search warrant for horses at the home of 48-year-old Richard Brown on Adairsville Pleasant Valley Road.

SLIDESHOW: Starving Horses Found On Bartow County Farm

While conducting a search of the property they found a black horse that “had been dead for several hours,” according to a police report. The investigator said it appeared the horse had died from starvation. Officials said the wounds and abrasions on the horse’s front legs seemed to indicate the horse had struggled for a long time to get up off the ground, according to the police report.

Officials discovered six other horses on the property that were “severely underweight.” Officials said no edible food was found in the area.

The Bartow County sheriff’s deputy said he spoke to Brown and Brown said he provided plenty of food for the horses. Brown showed the deputy where he placed the hay for the horses to eat, but the deputy said he didn’t see any hay in or around the area.

VIDEO: Starving Horses Found On Bartow County Farm

"Apparently it had gotten to the point where he just did not have the resources or will to get somebody else to take care of them," said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin.

The investigator with the Department of Agriculture said she had been investigating a starvation case at Brown's home for about a year. She said she’d cited Brown several times for inadequate food. The investigator said Brown had not complied with any of the citations.

The Department of Agriculture said Brown signed over his surviving horses to them. Officials will attempt to rehabilitate the animals.

Brown was arrested and charged with cruelty to animals.