A local veterinarian pleads not guilty to charges of neglecting 71 horses.
Doctor John Brooks is accused of under feeding and not taking care of the animals. Last week, Sedgwick County removed the horses from Brooks' ranch.
His attorney says the horses were not malnourished and she didn't know why they were taken. The charges he faces are not criminal, they are considered code violations.
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Original Story, February 10, 2012
Seventy-one horses were removed from a Sedgwick County ranch. Animal control officers confiscated the horses on Tuesday.
A county spokesperson says the owner faces charges relating to neglect and abuse. The case will be heard in court Monday afternoon.
The owner is veterinarian John Brooks who runs Meadowbrook Veterinary Hospital and Farm. He's accused of under-feeding the animals and not properly caring for them.
Brooks' attorney, Lynette Herrman, says the horses were not undernourished. She says Brooks should be allowed to get his own experts to examine the animals, but the county won't reveal where they're being kept.
The county is asking the court to require Brooks to pay $23,000 for the animals' care or forfeit them. Local horse advocates fear that may result in the horses being euthenized, since it's doubtful that Brooks has the money.
