Owner Of Derry Twp. Neglected Horses To Stand Trial
DERRY TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A Westmoreland County woman accused of starving and neglecting horses on her farm is now facing trial for animal cruelty.
Faun Dillion was in court for her preliminary hearing Wednesday.
Humane officers say what they found on Dillion's property was terrible and unique.
"In the 12 years I've been doing this, I've not had many cases where I've had to remove horses," said humane officer Jan Dillion, no relation to the suspect.
The Humane Society of Westmoreland County seized several horses from the Derry Township property, the creature's pitiful shape prompting misdemeanor charges of animal neglect and cruelty.
"We have proof from the barn manager that they were not in that condition when they got them," said Jan Dillion.
Barn manager Kelly Willforth took stand at the hearing Wednesday. She testified that the animals arrived healthy and then lost weight.
In her testimony, she said: "Horses chewed the side of the barn. Several other horses did the same thing. No grazing material, hay and turn out was bare."
Also on the stand was equine veterinarian Dr. Richard Fondrk.
He testified, "They had good appetites, but were skin and bones. In my opinion, they were not getting enough to eat."
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Faun Dillion's defense attorney contends the confiscated animals, one of which died, were never health to begin with.
"My client takes, at her own expense, takes in rescued horses. They're sick when they get there," said David Millstein, the defense attorney. "The Humane Society stepped in and automatically, assumed that my client was responsible when in fact she was trying to rehabilitate them."
Faun Dillion can have animals; however, the Humane Society is monitoring their situation. Dillion's charges were held for trial.
