According to authorities, a California lady was taken into custody on Wednesday after 27 dead horses were discovered on her various farms.
Clements resident Jan Johnson was arrested at the San Joaquin County Jail on accusations of criminal threats, animal abuse, possession of a short-barrel shotgun, and threatening a public official.
As part of an ongoing investigation into animal mistreatment, sheriff’s deputies and Animal Services officials conducted a search warrant at residences in Clements, which is approximately 40 miles southeast of Sacramento.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that “about 27 deceased horses were located and several malnourished horses were discovered on the premises with limited access to any food or water during the operation.”
Veterinarians and Animal Services officers started triaging and assessing the horses right away. According to the sheriff’s office, the carelessness resulted in the euthanasia of four horses and one bull.
After being saved, sixteen horses were given to the Oakdale Equine Rescue, which would take care of their medical needs, feed them, and help them recover.
Due to the vastness of the properties, the sheriff’s office stated that they are currently assessing more animals discovered throughout the search.