CADIZ – A woman who is currently being held on numerous charges after allegedly neglecting several animals and threatening a local humane officer made her initial appearance in court Wednesday.

Karen D. Drakulich, of 29525 Fernwood Drive, Dennison, was arrested earlier this week after the Harrison County Humane Society and the county Sheriff’s Office concluded a lengthy investigation into reports of animal cruelty at the farm which borders Tuscarawas County.

On Wednesday, Drakulich entered not guilty pleas to 17 misdemeanor charges related to animal cruelty and prohibitions concerning companion animals and a single count of aggravated menacing after she allegedly threatened Humane Officer Darla Smith with a gun.

The 49-year-old woman was operating a kennel on the property and also had at least seven horses in her care. One of the equines was euthanized on Saturday after Smith visited the property after receiving reports of the animal being unable to get to its feet.

The humane officer said the mare had recently fouled and was extremely malnourished and dehydrated, according to a veterinarian who made the decision to euthanize the animal.

“This horse was at least 20 years old,” Smith said. “Granted, that is not the old for a horse but it is rather old for a mare to have a colt at that age.”

Smith said she and Harrison County Dog Warden Chris McMillen and officers from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office removed all the animals from Drakulich’s care.

Sheriff Joe Myers said all the horses have been relocated to other farms while the canines have been moved into foster homes.

“We brought in livestock trailers to move the horses,” Myers said. “The dogs were taken to the Harrison County Dog Pound.”

“We used the local dog pound as a staging area until we could get them into foster care,” Smith added. “All the dogs have been moved and are no longer at the pound.”

Draulich has allegedly told investigators that she was trying to nurse the horses back to good health after they came into her care in “poor” shape.

But the former owners of the horses, Sam Shrieve and Sandy Tingler, said that is not the case.

While waiting outside the Harrison County Courthouse for Drakulich to appear in court the couple said the animals were “healthy” and in “great condition” when they left their care. According to them, the abuse and neglect began last fall when Drakulich took custody of the horses.

“We have a video from lasts July and that film shows extremely healthy horses,” said Shrieve. “She promised us the horses were going to a farm in the Alliance area. We had no idea she was going to house them in fields without grass or water.”

“The trees in that field have been stripped by the horses,” Tingler added. “They pulled the bark and leaves from the trees so they had that to eat to survive. The conditions in the field and the home are awful.”

According to reports, not only were the horses uncared for, the dogs were being housed in an old mobile home and were not adequately fed or watered.

“They had no clean water, no proper nourishment,” said Smith. “The conditions inside that trailer were just horrible.”

During her initial appearance in Harrison County Court, Drakulich was placed on a recognizance bond with several stipulations including the requirement to report to a probation office on a daily basis. In addition, she is not permitted to have any animals in her care throughout the remainder of the court case.

In the meantime, Smith is asking anyone who would like to donate items or money for the care of the animals while the case is pending to contact her at 740-942-3947 or 740-491-2224.

Monetary donations may also be made the Harrison County Human Society, PO Box 404, Cadiz, OH 43907 and you are asked to note “seized animals” in the memo line.

Sedgmer may be reached at ksedgmer@timesleaderonline.com