Kingston Council passes $8.8 million budget with no property tax increase

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A. Pickett Construction donates to Holy Family Parish

SWEET VALLEY &#8212; A humane officer working for the Luzerne County SPCA seized two malnourished and &#8220;extremely thin&#8221; horses from a farm last month after their owner repeatedly failed to have the animals examined.According to the affidavit, Humane Officer Wayne Harvey was investigating a situation at a farm at 492 Patla Road since August and had repeatedly told the owner, Jodi Faulkner, to have a veterinarian examine the animals who were visibly thin but not in immediate danger if proper care was administered.Harvey made several visits to the farm in the following weeks but Faulkner never had a veterinarian examine the horses, a 13-year-old female named Joyful Years and a small gelding named Beamer. During visits in September and October, Harvey discovered the animals appeared to be losing weight.Harvey had a veterinarian accompany him to the farm to examine the horses on Nov. 17. The veterinarian determined the animals were of a body condition score of 1.5 out of a possible nine points, meaning the animals&#8217; ribs and other skeletal features were clearly visible.The veterinarian recommended the animals be taken into protective custody.Harvey was not available for comment Tuesday.Peggy Nork, Luzerne County SPCA development director, said Tuesday both horses had been seized and sent to foster locations until charges could potentially be filed.&#8220;It was neglect,&#8221; Nork said. &#8220;We don&#8217;t know to what degree.&#8221;Citing an open investigation, Nork declined to provide further information on the case, but said the work carried out by humane officers is &#8220;vitally necessary&#8221; for the community.&#8220;Nobody is able to speak on behalf of animals beyond our cruelty officers,&#8221; she said.Nork said humane officers investigate over 700 complaints per year and there is not one call the SPCA doesn&#8217;t take seriously.&#8220;Obviously, a very small amount of those calls are actually prosecuted to degree of charges but, in all of that, we&#8217;re educating people on the right thing to do regarding how the law protects their animals and what they&#8217;re required to do.&#8221;<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Joe Dolinskyjdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</shirttailMeta></div>

Humane officer seizes two ‘extremely thin’ horses from Sweet Valley farm