NC man pleads guilty to animal cruelty after dozens of starved ponies found

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A Forsyth County man has pleaded
guilty to animal-cruelty charges after more than 30 emaciated
Hackney ponies were seized from his property.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that 67-year-old Renan L. Carter
pleaded guilty Wednesday in Forsyth Superior Court to 33 counts of
misdemeanor animal cruelty and three counts of felony animal cruelty
stemming from three horses that died from starvation.

Officials said animal-control officers seized 35 extremely
emaciated ponies from a farm on July 7. One horse was dead, and two
more were euthanized because of malnourishment.

A judge consolidated the three felony counts and sentenced
Carter to six to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Carter also received three days in the Forsyth County Jail. He also
owes $8,500 in fines, restitution and court costs.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)