Can You Have Farm Animals In Leon County

Linda Bruns was at her grandson'southward 2d birthday party in St. petersburg when she received an unnerving phone call.

A sheriff's deputy asked if she would assist take some of over 260 animals that needed to be moved from a subcontract in eastern Leon County as the outcome of an beast cruelty investigation.

"I was shocked," she said.

On Tuesday afternoon, she went to the scene of the arrest where she saw "the mess."

Initial story:Leon sheriff's deputies accuse local human subsequently animate being cruelty investigation

Bruns, president of Triple R Horse Rescue, described chunks of metal, rusted appliances and heavy equipment strewn throughout the 20-acre property. She said a lot of the mechanism was stuck in the ground where an animal could hands become injure.

"It was really dangerous," she said. "You can tell some of the stuff was left out for years."

The farm belonged to 63-year-onetime Marion Harmon, arrested Tuesday on 57 counts, including 37 of aggravated creature cruelty, 7 of animal cruelty and 16 counts of improper disposal of animal remains, according to constabulary enforcement.

Court records show he was released on pre-trial supervision afterwards a kickoff appearance before a estimate Midweek in which he said he would exist hiring his ain defense attorney and agreed not to possess whatsoever animals, including "pets and livestock," while his instance is pending. He couldn't be reached later Wednesday.

The more than 150 animals were relocated to neighboring farms and customs partners like Redemptive Dearest Farm and Triple R Horse Rescue.

Triple R took in 8 animals, a mix of donkeys, mules and horses. Half of the animals were taken to Redemptive Love Farm and the others were sheltered in Triple R's back pasture.

The animals taken in past Bruns seemed "OK," she said, apart from one horse, which she said has an extended breadbasket from either pregnancy or worms.

Concerned citizen called Leon Canton Animal Control

On June ane, a concerned citizen called Leon County Beast Control afterward seeing vultures picking apart an creature carcass on Harmon'due south property, according to an arrest affidavit.

Afterward arriving, animal control looked upon a sheep herd from the road. They reported seeing some sheep limping, "basic all over the footing" and possible beast carcasses.

Every bit inspecting officers fabricated their manner through the belongings, they made more than grim discoveries: Emaciated animals with exposed ribs, limping animals, loads of bones and the full skeleton of a ram that seemed to accept been caught in a argue, where it was plainly left to die.

According to the affidavit, Marion said none of the animals, except for the sheep, have received veterinary intendance. He told officers that he tends to their medical needs himself.

Officers noted a lack of h2o for the animals, which Marion allegedly dedicated past proverb there is a nearby pond. An officer on scene walked the grounds and wrote "there was no pond or any trunk of water."

On the exposed carcasses, Marion said he initially buried them and "coyotes must have dug (upwardly) the carcasses."

By the end of the day, officers made the conclusion to "lawfully seize all of Marion's animals for their safety and welfare," the affidavit said.

Suspect charged with beast cruelty earlier

Harmon was arrested in 2019 on 4 counts of animal cruelty after leaving dead livestock on other people'due south belongings.

The arrest affidavit said Harmon has "been cited, issued notices to appear, given warnings and told repeatedly he needs to change the way he cares for his animals."

The officers added that Harmon is known for buying "bug-infested feed" and "rotten hay" to feed his animals.

"His course of conduct shows that he cannot care for ane, allow lone hundreds of animals," the written report said.

Harmon was employed as a Florida A&1000 Academy visiting professor for nine months in the Section of Calculator Information Systems until the terminate of the spring 2021 semester, according to the FAMU Office of Human Resources.

He is currently employed on a temporary contract that was scheduled to end with the shut of the C term on Aug. 2, a argument from the university said.

Harmon does not have a signed contract to teach this fall, the argument said. He retired in August 2019 and was re-hired in August 2020.

Previously he was chairman of the Estimator Scientific discipline Department 1993-2001, co-ordinate to the Department of Reckoner and Data Sciences. During his Ph.D. candidacy, Harmon was one of 25 McKnight Fellows.

He was also an adjunct professor at Tallahassee Community College from July 1996-December 2006, according to TCC'south Human Resources Department.

More than 260 animals moved off Harmon's property

LCSO spokesman Shade McMillian said more than than 260 alive animals were moved off Harmon'southward holding by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday dark.

Since their relocation, a cow gave nascence to a baby calf and a sheep had twins, he added.

Bruns said she would like to railroad train and foster the four animals she has from Harmon'southward farm.

"No matter what happens, we'll give them a little better future." she said. "It'south but heartbreaking to see what was done to them."

Contact Christopher Cann at ccann@tallahassee.com and follow @ChrisCannFL on Twitter.

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Source: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2021/06/09/leon-county-farms-receive-animals-following-animal-cruelty-investigation/7620103002/

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