MONROE - Six horses seized in February from a Juda woman could be sold by the end of April.
Bonnie Bitz, 46, was in Green County Circuit Court on Thursday for a civil hearing to determine what to do with six horses seized from her property Feb. 24.
After almost an hour, Bitz and Green County Corporation Counsel Bill Morgan agreed that Bitz and a neighbor, Jim Beutel, could negotiate Beutel's purchase of the horses.
Any agreement for the sale must be finalized by April 29, when Bitz is scheduled for another hearing in the matter.
Morgan said part of the sale agreement must include stipulations that the horses not be sold back to Bitz and that, until the horses are sold, the Green County Sheriff's Department be allowed to inspect Bitz's property. Money for the horses will be deposited with the Green County Clerk of Court's office until final costs for care of the horses is calculated.
Morgan also told the court the cost already incurred from care of the horses will be paid out of the money Beutel pays Bitz for the horses. If money received by the Clerk of Court does not cover the final cost of care, Bitz must make up the difference, Morgan said. If the money received is more than the cost to care for the horses, the extra will go back to Bitz, he added.
Morgan estimated the care of the horses since they were seized to be around $1,200.
He said the court would consider the matter closed if Bitz and Beutel are able to work out a purchase agreement.
The horses were taken after Green County Sheriff deputies responded to reports of animal neglect at Bitz's farm at W5320 Middle Juda Road.
Green County Sheriff Deputy and Green County Humane Officer Paul Weichbrod told the court Thursday the conditions at the farm "were not up to humane standards" when he inspected the farm Feb. 24.
Weichbrod said there wasn't a sufficient amount of water and no food was available for the horses inside the barn. In addition, he testified manure was piled between 4 and 6 feet deep in the barn.
Weichbrod said the horses were contained in the barn because they "ran to the neighbor's to eat hay and corn" if they weren't kept inside.
The court also learned Thursday that the more than 20 goats taken from Bitz at the same time as the horses have been sold.
Twenty dogs taken from her were turned over to the county Feb. 13 after she failed to pay a $2,100 bond to provide care for the animals while they're being taken care of at the Green County Humane Society at the county's expense.
The dogs were turned over to the humane society and applications are being taken for people who want to adopt them. Anyone who wants to adopt the dogs can contact the humane society at 325-9600.
In addition to the civil case with Green County, Bitz also is charged with four counts of mistreatment of animals causing death, all class I felonies, and two counts of failure to provide food for animals, improper animal shelter and intentionally mistreating animals, all class A misdemeanors. She faces up to 17 years in prison and up to $80,000 in fines, if convicted.
The court scheduled an April 29 pretrial conference.
Bitz remains free on a $5,000 signature bond in the criminal case.
Bonnie Bitz, 46, was in Green County Circuit Court on Thursday for a civil hearing to determine what to do with six horses seized from her property Feb. 24.
After almost an hour, Bitz and Green County Corporation Counsel Bill Morgan agreed that Bitz and a neighbor, Jim Beutel, could negotiate Beutel's purchase of the horses.
Any agreement for the sale must be finalized by April 29, when Bitz is scheduled for another hearing in the matter.
Morgan said part of the sale agreement must include stipulations that the horses not be sold back to Bitz and that, until the horses are sold, the Green County Sheriff's Department be allowed to inspect Bitz's property. Money for the horses will be deposited with the Green County Clerk of Court's office until final costs for care of the horses is calculated.
Morgan also told the court the cost already incurred from care of the horses will be paid out of the money Beutel pays Bitz for the horses. If money received by the Clerk of Court does not cover the final cost of care, Bitz must make up the difference, Morgan said. If the money received is more than the cost to care for the horses, the extra will go back to Bitz, he added.
Morgan estimated the care of the horses since they were seized to be around $1,200.
He said the court would consider the matter closed if Bitz and Beutel are able to work out a purchase agreement.
The horses were taken after Green County Sheriff deputies responded to reports of animal neglect at Bitz's farm at W5320 Middle Juda Road.
Green County Sheriff Deputy and Green County Humane Officer Paul Weichbrod told the court Thursday the conditions at the farm "were not up to humane standards" when he inspected the farm Feb. 24.
Weichbrod said there wasn't a sufficient amount of water and no food was available for the horses inside the barn. In addition, he testified manure was piled between 4 and 6 feet deep in the barn.
Weichbrod said the horses were contained in the barn because they "ran to the neighbor's to eat hay and corn" if they weren't kept inside.
The court also learned Thursday that the more than 20 goats taken from Bitz at the same time as the horses have been sold.
Twenty dogs taken from her were turned over to the county Feb. 13 after she failed to pay a $2,100 bond to provide care for the animals while they're being taken care of at the Green County Humane Society at the county's expense.
The dogs were turned over to the humane society and applications are being taken for people who want to adopt them. Anyone who wants to adopt the dogs can contact the humane society at 325-9600.
In addition to the civil case with Green County, Bitz also is charged with four counts of mistreatment of animals causing death, all class I felonies, and two counts of failure to provide food for animals, improper animal shelter and intentionally mistreating animals, all class A misdemeanors. She faces up to 17 years in prison and up to $80,000 in fines, if convicted.
The court scheduled an April 29 pretrial conference.
Bitz remains free on a $5,000 signature bond in the criminal case.