Greenland woman arrested for animal abuse

Animal League of Washington County volunteers Tina Poseno (left) and Marsha Wyatt (right) load a paint mare Wednesday into a trailer to be taken to a veterinarian from a Greenland residence. The mare later died early Thursday from injuries suffered at the residence. Ten live horses are in the process of being removed from the property by the league with help from Greenland's Police Department because of abuse and neglect while eight dead horses have been discovered. The Animal League has begun fundraising to help cover the cost of medical care for the animals. Go to nwaonline.com/200508Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
Animal League of Washington County volunteers Tina Poseno (left) and Marsha Wyatt (right) load a paint mare Wednesday into a trailer to be taken to a veterinarian from a Greenland residence. The mare later died early Thursday from injuries suffered at the residence. Ten live horses are in the process of being removed from the property by the league with help from Greenland's Police Department because of abuse and neglect while eight dead horses have been discovered. The Animal League has begun fundraising to help cover the cost of medical care for the animals. Go to nwaonline.com/200508Daily/ for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)

FAYETTEVILLE -- A Greenland woman was issued a felony citation for animal abuse connected with the death of horses on her property, police said.

Chief Gary Ricker of the Greenland Police Department said an officer went to 10508 Lilly Lane on Wednesday night. The officer found several horses "in severe distress from failed attempts to birth a colt."

Edie Mulvey, the property owner, told police by phone she was out of the state, Ricker said. The police contacted a veterinarian and the Animal League of Washington County to try and have the horses cared for.

One horse died while police were at the property and two others in severe distress were taken to the veterinarian's office where one died overnight, Ricker said.

Mulvey was issued a felony citation for several counts of animal cruelty and failure to dispose of animal carcass, Ricker said. Carcasses of several dead horses were found on the property. Ricker said the investigation is continuing.

Prosecutor Matt Durrett said local police are being asked to make more use of felony citations as the Washington County Sheriff's Office tries to keep the detainee population in the jail as low as possible to limit the risk of the covid-19 coronavirus spreading among the detainees and staff.

Kelly Cantrell, public information officer for the Sheriff's Office, said Friday the detainee population in the 710-bed jail was 349. Cantrell said there have been no positive tests for the covid-19 virus among the detainees or staff.

Durrett said felony citations begin the legal proceedings against a person charged with a crime.

"They're arrested, but not required to post a bond," Durrett said of those issued felony citations. "They're released on own recognizance. Their information is taken down, a preliminary report is filled out and they're given a court date. Everything comes here. At their arraignment, they'll be formally booked and fingerprinted."

NW News on 05/09/2020

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