Abused animals found By Joy Stephenson Examiner Staff Writer

On a routine call about a foul odor in a Plantersville area, Grimes County Deputy Martha Ramirez was shocked by what she found.

Dead and dying horses, mules, ponies and donkeys were penned without food or water. The remains of one horse were found with the animal's hind feet tied to a tree. Skeletal remains of other equines were found at the site.

The person charged in the incident was released without posting bond.

”I have never seen anything like it,“ said Ramirez. ”The stench was sickening and the whole scene was just overwhelming.“

Sheriff's Lt. Blake Jarvis, Sgt. Ryan Schroeder and Deputy Ramirez obtained a warrant and began the work of identifying and cataloging both live and dead animals.

The tract on which the animals were found was said to be 52 acres leased by Jason Wenzel. About three acres was cleared and was described by investigators as ”mostly dirt and weeds, no grazing area.“

Owner of the animals, Jason Wenzel, 29, a former student at Navasota High School, was charged with 24 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and one felony count of cruelty. After an Oct. 6 hearing before Justice of the Peace Joe Imhoff, all of the living animals except one were seized and Wenzel was arrested but after the hearing was released on personal recognizance.

Wenzel could face two years of jail time and a $10,000 fine if convicted on the felony charge. The Class A misdemeanor charges each carry up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. The total number of equines seized was 19 and the number of dead was five.

Imhoff awarded custody of the maltreated animals to Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society. Bluebonnet Equine volunteers came from Navasota, Dayton, Caldwell, Tomball and Houston to recover the living animals.

Survivors will be offered for adoption after they return to health.

A one year-old donkey was past saving and had to be destroyed, said officials.

Bluebonnet Equine is a Bryan-College Station group of volunteers which works with equine rescues and rehabilitation. The non-profit association has thus far borne all the costs of collecting, housing, feeding and healing these animals.