Horse cruelty case draws irate crowd

About 20 people gathered at the courthouse for Annie Stein's first court appearance Monday on animal cruelty charges.

They wanted to see the woman accused of starving horses stand before a judge, and let her know what happened would not go unnoticed.

The group didn't see Stein in court. Her attorney, Wesley Hawn, appeared in her stead. But they did get some answers.

District Attorney Jay Gaither spoke with the group of horse lovers, many of who knew Stein personally. He assured them the matter is being investigated thoroughly and said his office is taking it seriously.

Gaither said he is looking into whether the two misdemeanor cruelty to animal charges Stein is facing are appropriate, or if more serious charges are warranted.

"I will follow the facts, and if I can charge a more serious crime, then that's what I'm going to do," Gaither said.

Stein, 43, is charged with animal cruelty in connection with one malnourished horse found on her property Feb. 23, and one found dead.

A caretaker for an adjoining property spotted the dead, emaciated horse lying in the field on Feb. 10. There were three other horses in the pasture, and they had no food, water or shelter. When the caretaker saw the horse, he called the police.

Police also discovered a second dead horse, its carcass partially covered by a tarp. Stein told police both horses died of colic.

The three living horses were taken from the property and are being nursed back to health at area farms.

When officers went back to the property Feb. 22, they found the skeletal remains of four more horses. One of the piles of bones was partially covered with a blue tarp. Stein denied knowing of any horse skeletons.

Stein's cruelty charges stem from the first dead horse in the field, and for the most severely malnourished and feeble horse removed from Stein's TouchPoint Equine Center.

Tonya Spitler is one of several who came to court Monday. She boarded her horse, Jasmine, at Stein's Equine Center for about six months. Spitler sold Jasmine to another boarder. However, Spitler said the last time she saw Jasmine, the horse was 200 to 300 pounds underweight.

Jasmine's new owner was not in the county to watch Jasmine, Spitler said.

Kathy Wilcox came to court to get people to sign a petition asking animal control to take more responsibility to stop animal abuse.

"I would love it if (Stein) was brought to justice, but I want animal control to be held accountable for what they neglected," she said. "The petition is not just for horses, it's for dogs and cats and chickens — for all animals. These horses died because of neglect and malnutrition."

Jennifer Caldwell has two horses. She wanted her horses to get more exercise. An acquaintance recommended Stein to her, saying Stein did work with children. Caldwell came to Stein's Equine Center on N.C. 10 in Newton in March 2009. When she visited, she said there were fresh shavings in the stables, although there were no horses around.

Caldwell felt comfortable enough to donate her two horses, along with her trailer and riding equipment.

"Annie called a few days later to see if I wanted to see my horses ridden by the kids, so I came out," Caldwell recalled. "I was appalled. My horses looked like thoroughbreds against her stock."

She came two days later to get her horses, telling Stein she'd had a change of heart about donating the animals. Caldwell said she made a complaint to the Newton police about Stein.

She came to court on Monday to show that what happened to the horses under Stein's car will not go unnoticed. Caldwell said it could have happened to her horses.

"If I hadn't taken mine back, my horses would have been covered in tarps," she said.

Stein's next court date is May 12.