1/30/14 - A Cohoctah Township woman accused of animal cruelty in the past is facing new criminal charges. 71-year-old Velva Jean Wainscott is charged with one count of Failing to Provide Adequate Care to an Animal Resulting in Death and one count of Failing to Provide Adequate Care to Two or Three Animals. Livingston County Prosecutor Bill Vailliencourt tells WHMI both are misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail, adding the charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges were filed following an investigation into the cause of death for a horse that was found lying on its paddock on Wainscottâs property January 12th. A necropsy, which is the animal equivalent of an autopsy, was performed at Michigan State University but the results have not been made public. At the time, Livingston County Animal Control Director Debbie Oberle told WHMI the animal was about 16 years old, which is roughly middle-aged for a horse, but it was unclear if it had any pre-existing conditions that may have contributed to the death. Because all of the other horses were in good condition, they were not removed from the property at the time and Wainscott was said to be very cooperative. Wainscott's horses were previously seized by Animal Control in November of 2012 after she was accused of abandoning or cruelty to 10 or more horses. Those charges were dismissed with prejudice and the animals were returned. However, Wainscott was arraigned on the new charges this past Tuesday and, as a condition of bond, was ordered not to possess any horses and her attorney was working to identify a caretaker while the case is pending. (JM)
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