Julie Ann Sherrill
32 miniature horses and 39 chickens were seized by Burke County Animal Services & Animal Enforcement on January 18th. Animal Enforcement has since discovered additional properties with horses that belong to the same individual. Search warrants were issued on January 19 & 20. 17 additional miniature horses were confiscated, bringing the total to 49 horses and 39 chickens now in the county’s care.
Eight of the 17 horses were covered in cockleburs and six horses had a low body condition score, with five others on the low end of an acceptable range. The remaining nine horses were housed at a different location and were well cared for by a good Samaritan who had not heard from the horses’ owner since November 2022. That person was paying out-of-pocket to care for the animals.
Following her arrest, Sherrill was processed and later released under a $2,500 bond. Additional charges are pending.
For the first 30 days, Burke County Animal Services estimates the cost to restore the animals’ health to be $410 per horse and $20 per chicken, or almost $21,000.
Donations for the animals’ medical care and feed are being accepted by the Animal Services Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit that supports the Burke County Animal Shelter.
Photo: Burke County Sheriff’s Office