BY ELLEN BILTZ
A Caroline County man was convicted yesterday of four counts of animal cruelty and will spend two months behind bars.
Michael Wilkerson, 45, of Ruther Glen, was ordered to pay restitution for the emaciated horses' care and never to own farm animals again. His full jail sentence was 12 months on each conviction, with all time suspended except for the two months.
Wilkerson originally was charged with five counts of animal cruelty, but Judge Frank L. Bener said in court yesterday that he found Wilkerson to be the cause of only four of the horses' poor conditions, because one had been on the property for less than a month.
The others had been there between six months and 32 years, according to Wilkerson's testimony.
While Commonwealth's Attorney Tony Spencer put on evidence of the sickly condition of the horses, Wilkerson and his attorney, Ed Vaughan, contended that some of the horses had been recently rescued and were already in poor condition when Wilkerson got them. Vaughan also said Wilkerson had seven healthy horses on the farm.
But after hearing testimony from a veterinarian who checked the horses after animal control officers seized them, as well as Wilkerson's testimony of how long he'd owned each horse, Bener ruled against him on four of the charges.
Wilkerson's horses were first investigated by animal control officers for being extremely underweight Jan. 9, according to testimony yesterday.
At that time, Wilkerson was told to seek treatment for them from a veterinarian immediately. On Jan. 22, officers returned to find no evidence of food for the horses and no treatment, so the horses were seized, said officer J.C. Heffler.
"You had a responsibility to take care of these animals whether you were told to or not," Bener told Wilkerson.
Veterinarian Michael Stanford, who saw the horses after they were seized, said all of them were suffering from malnutrition and parasites. He also said many of them had severe dental problems from a longtime lack of dental care.
Susan White, a cruelty investigator for the United States Equine Rescue League, who has been helping to care for the horses since they were seized, testified to the improvement the horses have made since they have been treated.
"Before, one of the yearlings, we had to pick up his feet to get him in the truck because he was so weak," White said in court yesterday. "Now, he's able to walk without shaking.
White's organization has been caring for the yearling and the other horses for 17 days. Wilkerson testified in court yesterday that he had the yearling for about two years.
Other problems with the horses as noted by Heffler, Stanford and White included broken teeth; dark, thick urine; and ribs protruding from the horses' sides.
Ellen Biltz: 540/374-5424
Email: ebiltz@freelancestar.com