FIFE LAKE, MI -- In January, 7&4 news learned that a Fife Lake woman is facing criminal neglect charges.
Police said seven starving horses were found on Danelle Round's property. Of those animals, two had to be euthanized.
A month later, community members have a different complaint.
The bodies had not been properly disposed of.
According to the Department of Environmental Health, not tending to the bodies violates Michigan law.
“There is a law. It is the Burial of Dead Animals Act and it was enacted in 1982. It does require that dead animals be buried within 24 hours of death,” said Environmental Health Manager, Tom Buss.
Violating this law is a misdemeanor punishable by a minimum fine of $300 or imprisonment for a minimum of 30 days, or both.
Furthermore, the law states that an animal must be buried at least two feet below ground.
The carcass can not come in contact with any body of water, and graves must not be located within 200 feet of a groundwater well.
Despite these clear-cut stipulations, Round's horses were left unattended to for more than a month, left lying frozen to the ground.
“I think part of the concern was the owner of the horse wanted to have them properly buried and felt that they were frozen right now and frozen to the ground and she wanted to wait until conditions were more suitable for proper burial…but the state law…its law that they have to be buried within 24 hours so that is why it has ended up in the prosecutor's hands to make a determination on how to handle this,” Buss said.
According to North Horse Rescue (the local organization that has been caring for the remaining five horses) the two euthanized horses were buried properly in the pasture this morning.
As for the owner, Round pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of abandoning or being cruel to animals. Her sentencing is set for March 2nd.
