Dorchester Co. Sheriff’s Office Discusses Horse Sanctuary Investigation

Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office

(CAMBRIDGE, Md) – An investigation into possible animal abuse is happening in Dorchester County after photos circulate on social media.

Viewers brought this to our attention at WMDT with a horse sanctuary in Hurlock, saying some of the horses on the property are being mistreated.

This prompted an investigation from the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office late last week in to the horse sanctuary.

I got the chance to speak with Dorchester Sheriff James Phillips about the early findings from the investigation, and why there is at the time of publishing; no confirmed instance of animal abuse.

“Under state law, if you can prove food, water and shelter, it kind of limits what we can do with horses. So that’s where we left. We were not able to seize the horses. There were goats there. She checked the goats. They were all being fed, taking care of there was water available, there was food available,” says Sheriff Phillips.

Sherif Phillips says that one horse had to be euthanized by a veterinarian when the Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene…

And while the Sheriff’s Office and the county’s Animal Control are not able to seize the horses, the sheriff told us what the next steps are going to be as far.

Sheriff Phillips tells WMDT, “The owner of the Naylor Mill horse farm has relinquished her rights to the horses, and we are currently working with a reputable horse rescue from the northern part of the state of Maryland that’s going to come down and take custody of all the horses.”

Sheriff Phillips says the investigation is still ongoing at this time.