Lack of water killed about 10 rabbits, horses, emus in Parker County; owner arrested
A Parker County woman remained in custody Wednesday after authorities discovered several dead animals, which included rabbits, horses, emus, a bull and a peacock, at her property.
Deputies believe the animals died from the lack of water and food.
Authorities identified the suspect as 31-year-old Shamorrowia Alexander. She was in the Parker County Jail in Weatherford on Wednesday.
Alexander faces eight charges of cruelty to livestock and one charge of cruelty to non-livestock.
Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier said the law requires you to provide adequate shade, food and fresh water for all animals.
“In the climbing temperatures, it is imperative,” Authier said in a Wednesday news release.
Authier said investigators arrived on the property in the 4200 block of North Farm-to-Market Road 52 for an animal welfare check and discovered a decomposing bull inside of a pen on the property.
Investigators also observed an empty hay feeder inside the pen.
Investigators walked the property line and discovered several turkeys and chickens secured in pens along with multiple deceased animals.
A live goat was also found inside a separate pen with no water, the sheriff’s office said. Neighbors had reported giving the goat water after finding there was none made available.
Deputies obtained a warrant and seized the remaining animals, which are being evaluated by a local veterinarian.
Sheriff’s investigators reported most of the animals had no fresh water and of the two water sources on the property they contained algae and other contaminants.
Along with the dead bull, authorities also found a deceased sorrel horse inside a pen, a deceased peacock in a fully enclosed coop, two deceased miniature horses, two deceased emus inside of an enclosed pasture and several rabbits inside a cage located in the barn.
This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 9:32 AM.
