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Mukwonago horse farmer ordered to surrender animals
A Town of Mukwonago horse farmer charged with illegal gun possession has been ordered to surrender all animals on her property while the criminal case moves forward.
MUKWONAGO, Wis. - A Town of Mukwonago horse farmer charged with illegal gun possession has been ordered to surrender all animals on her property while the criminal case moves forward.
What we know:
69-year-old Ralinda Howard appeared in court Thursday, March 12, on felony counts of possession of a firearm by a felon after investigators say police found 11 guns at her farm.
Howard signed a $50,000 signature bond. As a condition of her bond, a court commissioner ordered Howard to remove every animal from the property by the end of the business day on March 20.
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Howard must also surrender her passport within 48 hours, cannot apply for a new passport while the case is pending and cannot possess firearms or other dangerous weapons.
Her attorney said she currently has seven horses and four dogs on the property. He also noted police never removed any animals from the farm.
The backstory:
The court action follows months of complaints about conditions on the property.
In February, former farmworker Lisa Vega told FOX6 News about what she said she witnessed while working there.
"It was horrible, horrible," said Vega. "Death, dismemberment, disfigurement, just overall, horror."
Police executed a search warrant at the property in November with two veterinarians present.
According to court records, investigators found "several horses appeared underweight" and noted "shelters [...] were too small to accommodate the 25 horses on the property."
Despite the complaints, prosecutors have not filed criminal animal cruelty charges.
"Clearly, the DA’s office did not deem the allegations involving the animals worthy of any criminal charges," said Peter Wolff, Howard’s defense attorney.
Dig deeper:
Instead, the concerns have been handled through municipal citations issued by the Town of Mukwonago.
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Through an open records request, FOX6 obtained seven citations tied to the property. Some cite inadequate animal shelters, while others involve horses with skin irritations or animals lacking access to food and water.
Police say a total of 40 citations have been issued since October.
What they're saying:
Supporters of the investigation packed the courtroom Thursday, including neighbor Patrice Pilak, who said she had raised concerns about the property for years.
"It had to happen," said Pilak. "Finally, it just got to the point where it just looked dilapidated and awful."
Vega was also present.
"It’s such a win! Such a win!" said Vega after the bond condition was announced.
What's next:
Court records show a preliminary hearing is set for April 13.
Mukwonago farm alleged animal abuse, another former employee comes forward
FOX6 is learning more about alleged animal abuse on a horse farm in Mukwonago.
The Source: FOX6 News attended the court appearance and utilized information from the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.