Will Accused Horse-Neglecter Face Ban on Animal Ownership?

PETA Calls for Strong Penalties for Man Who Allegedly Left Horses to Die, Reportedly Continued to Acquire and Neglect More Animals

For Immediate Release:
March 8, 2017

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Fulton County resident Brandon Fulton, who has repeatedly faced charges for neglecting horses, was charged again on February 16 after four horses were found in his custody, apparently without water. In response, PETA sent a letter this morning urging Fulton County authorities to pursue banning his ownership of animals for as long as possible if he’s convicted of the two charges pending against him—including the most recent one, for which he will appear in court on March 15—as well as the immediate seizure of any animals in his custody.

In its letter, PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—notes that public records show that Fulton has been cited multiple times since 2011 for failure to provide horses with food, water, and humane care. In addition to the February 16 charges, he currently faces a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals after authorities reportedly discovered four dead horses in his custody last year.

“No horse should be left to starve, dehydrate, die, and rot from sheer neglect,” says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. “If Brandon Fulton is convicted, PETA is calling on authorities to ensure that he never again has the chance to deprive animals of the opportunity to satisfy their most basic needs.”

PETA’s letter to Fulton County authorities follows.

March 8, 2017

To:      Field Services Director Tim Poorman, Fulton County Animal Services

Equine Health Manager Mat Thompson, Georgia Department of Agriculture

The Honorable Paul Howard Jr., Fulton County District Attorney

From: Kristin Rickman, Cruelty Casework Associate Manager, PETA

Re:      Continued concerns about horses in custody of Fulton County resident Brandon Fulton

Your urgent attention is respectfully requested.

PETA headquarters continues to receive inquiries from people concerned about the horses evidently remaining in the custody of Fulton County resident Brandon Fulton of Butner Road. He currently faces a felony charge of aggravated cruelty to animals after authorities reportedly discovered four dead and decaying horses on his property in 2016. A number of malnourished animals were allegedly seized from his custody at that time. As those charges await adjudication, news sources indicate that Fulton has acquired additional horses and that in early February, he was charged for failing to provide them with water. In fact, public records indicate that since 2011, he has been cited numerous times for failing to provide horses in his custody with food, water, and humane care.

If the aforementioned records and allegations are accurate, then Fulton has repeatedly demonstrated a stark unwillingness or inability to meet fundamental duties of animal custodianship. We respectfully request that horses currently in his care or custody be immediately seized, as provided for by § 4-13-4 of the Humane Care for Equines Act. We also ask that if convicted, he be prohibited from owning or harboring animals for as long as possible (a common provision in such cases). Please know that we stand ready to secure experts to testify, as needed.

Thank you for your time and consideration and for the difficult work that you do. May we hear from your respective agencies very soon?

Sincerely,

Kristin Rickman

Cruelty Casework Associate Manager

Cruelty Investigations Department