Warrant issued in animal abuse case

Police issued an arrest warrant after a man charged with aggravated animal cruelty for allegedly allowing horses to die of thirst without care on his Camas Prairie property failed to show up to his arraignment Nov. 18.

Andrew Scott's attorney Britt Cotter said that he doesn't know where his client is. This information led Sanders County Attorney Coleen Magera to request that a bench warrant be issued for Scott.

In July the Sanders County Sheriff's Department allegedly found 17 horses neglected on Scott's property. Four horses reportedly ended up dying from dehydration as a result of the neglect. The 13 that survived needed medical attention.

Deputy Dave Hedley told the Valley Press in an earlier interview that the sheriff's office estimated the horses hadn't had water for 10 days. Feed for the horses was also not available.

In addition to dehydration, the 17 horses were suffering from strangles, a disease that causes swelling, fever, lethargy, and pus-filled abscesses around the animals' throats, and it is easily passed from horse to horse.

During the time when the neglect took place Scott had allegedly been in and out of the area and left the animals in the care of someone else, who passed away. Hedley said Scott was aware of the caretaker's death but did not find another person to help with the animals.