Former Sultan woman gets 5 days in jail for abusing horses

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, March 2, 2011

EVERETT — A former Sultan woman convicted of neglecting horses was ordered Tuesday to spend five days in jail and 55 days under house arrest.

Mary Peterson, 40, also likely will be required to pay back the estimated $60,000 the county spent to care for the horses and find them new homes.

A Snohomish County jury last month convicted Peterson of six counts of first-degree animal cruelty.

Prosecutors alleged Peterson was criminally negligent when she failed to provide adequate food and water to six horses for three months in 2009. Animal control officers received complaints from neighbors in June 2009. The officers attempted to work with Peterson but eventually seized 11 horses, according to court papers. One horse was euthanized after an examination. The others have since been adopted.

Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Andrew Alsdorf argued Tuesday that Peterson deserved a year in jail — the maximum established by the state sentencing guideline commission.

A jury found that Peterson’s negligence caused the horses considerable suffering, Alsdorf said. There is no way to know how these animals suffered but there are some clues, he said. Horses by nature seek out food and water 21 hours a day. Yet, these horses were deprived to the point where they became so emaciated that the outline of their ribs were visible, he said. Horses are social creatures, yet these horses were withdrawn, Alsdorf said.

“I believe she deserves more than 12 months for this case,” Alsdorf said.

He also requested that the judge ban Peterson for owning horses for the rest of her life.

Peterson’s attorney Michael Andrews argued that his client has already been punished. She suffered financially, endured public embarrassment from the publicity generated by the case and has been targeted by animal rights extremists.

A defense expert testified that there is no medical evidence that the horses experienced any pain, Andrews said.

Peterson declined to comment.

Superior Court Judge Larry McKeeman said that Peterson was convicted under the least serious theories of the animal cruelty statute set forth by the Legislature and a high-end sentencing range wasn’t appropriate, he said.

She was taking advice from someone with experience with horses, he said. While that advice turned out to be unconventional, she believed it, he said. She wasn’t intentionally trying to harm the horses, McKeeman said.

Along with jail time and electronic home monitoring, McKeeman also ordered Peterson to complete 240 hours of community service.

He ordered Peterson not to own or be the primary caretaker of any horse for two years.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.