Prosecutor explains why Gage County horse owner wasn’t charged

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Gage County attorney on Friday detailed why the owner of 37 horses won’t be criminally charged with neglect.

On Wednesday, the horses — which were seized last summer from Dr. Jennafer Glaesemann’s vet clinics — were ordered to be auctioned off next week.

SEE ALSO: Volunteers tending to horses seized in Gage County as caretaker recovers from injury

Glaesemann, who was initially cited with 37 counts of animal neglect, had the charges dropped as part of an agreement to give up ownership of the horses.

Gage County Attorney Roger Harris said the decision came down to whether he could prove abuse.

Some of the horses were found to have parvovirus, which is sometimes deadly to equines.

Animal experts’ opinions disagreed on the diagnosis, cause and treatment of the virus, making it “very difficult” to prove the horses were abused, Harris said.

SEE ALSO: Hold your horses: Gage County sheriff says animal welfare investigation is ‘complex’

Another reason the charges were dropped was the “misinformation and inappropriate attempts” to influence prosecutors.

Harris said the goal of protecting the horses has been accomplished by giving them new homes via the auction at the Palmyra Sale Barn.

SEE ALSO: Seized Gage County horses are ‘lively’ after being transferred to rescue

Epona Horse Rescue has been caring for the seized horses for the last six months.  It has raised over $50,000 to purchase the horses.

“We wish to thank the volunteers who helped care for the horses,” Harris said in a statement. “And we realize not everyone will agree with the decisions that we have made. Hopefully, they will realize that it was a difficult decision based upon the investigation reports we had, a decision that was required by professional prosecutorial ethics and one which was not based upon social media or personal agendas.”

SEE ALSO: Volunteers seek to save seized Gage County horses from the auction block