March 5, 2008

RICHLAND COUNTY, SC – Cases of animal neglect happen all too often, but this time it involves a mother and her two sons, one of which is a high ranking official in South Carolina.

The case has been unfolding all week, starting first on Monday when Hazel Trexler had 23 malnourished horses confiscated from her property.

“If we had let them sit any longer we could have had some really sick horses that we may not have been able to save,” said Kelly Graham of the Humane Society.

That raid then led lead to another tip that investigators followed to her son’s home on Wednesday.

More than five neglected horses were found at the farm of the South Carolina’s Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture, James Trexler.

Upon the discovery, state officials suspended Trexler from his duties at the Department of Agriculture pending further investigation.

The horses were found in the barn up to their ankles in manure and also in poor health.

“One a scale of one to 10, a five is usually a healthy horse, 10 is overweight or obese, and we got a one yesterday,” Graham said. “But the rest ranged from a three to four, these horses are probably going to end up, once they are vetted, a one or two.”

While his mother told the media that the horses on Trexler’s property belonged to her, Trexler, his mother and brother Terry Trexler, all were arrested Wednesday evening.

The three then appeared in court Thursday morning for a bond hearing:

Hazel Trexler was charged with 28 counts of ill treatment of animals.

Terry Trexler was charged with 23 counts of ill treatment of animals and 1 count of kidnapping for refusing to allow a Humane Society investigator to leave his property on Feb. 13.

James Trexler, the state official, was charged with five counts of ill treatment of animals.

While James was unable to be reached for comment, his mother looks forward to setting the record straight.

“My horses are fine and I will have my day in court. I will have my day in court,” Hazel Trexler said.

As for the horses, they are receiving care from vets right now. From initial assessments, it looks like all the horses will be able to make a recovery.

But Richland County Sherriff said the horses suffered from halters growing into their faces and other inflictions that could have caused lameness.

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