A woman who had horses seized from her farms in Monroe and Carnation a week ago was charged in King County for allegedly mistreating and starving the animals.
Jean Marie Elledge of Carnation faces three felony counts of first-degree animal cruelty after officials found four dead horses and seized 10 starved horses at her boarding and breeding business in Carnation. Elledge is scheduled to appear in court on March 5, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the King County prosecutor’s office.
Snohomish County officials seized 10 horses at her Monroe ranch last week. No charges have been filed in that case.
The horses seized in SnohoÂmish County are being treated by veterinarians, said Vicki ÂLubrin, the county’s licensing and animal control manager. She declined to comment on the horses’ whereabouts and their conditions.
Snohomish County officials alerted King County officials after they visited Elledge’s Monroe farm, Lubrin said.
Elledge “is a person known to us. We’ve been monitoring her for a period of time,” Lubrin said.
One of the four dead horses was brought from Monroe to Carnation to be buried, according to court papers. Investigators determined that three of the horses starved to death; they couldn’t tell how the other one died because the carcass was decomposed.
At the Carnation farm, officials found a young horse emaciated and near death, according to the court papers. The horse lacked access to water and feed; its temperature was very low. That horse and nine other starved horses were seized and placed under the care of veterinarians. Five other horses, owned by other people, were in good condition.
Officials couldn’t see where food had been provided for the horses except for small amounts of grain, the court papers say. The pastures lacked drinkable water and grass for grazing.
Elledge said she has 12 years of experience boarding and breeding horses, according to court papers. She allegedly told investigators that she hired unreliable people to help her run her two horse farms.
Elledge said she didn’t think that her horses were in poor condition, according to court papers.
Lubrin said officials often receive tips and complaints about animal cruelty.
“It’s not unusual, unfortunately,” Lubrin said. “We see this with cattle. We see this with dogs.”
Reporter Yoshiaki Nohara: 425-339-3029 or ynohara@heraldnet.com.
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