Discovery Of Dead, Emaciated Horses In Marengo Leads To 2 Arrests

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — Two miniature horses were found dead and five horses were found severely malnourished Thursday at a Marengo dog breeding operation, according to several media reports. Two people were arrested after the gruesome discovery was made by McHenry County Animal Control officers who were at the Marengo site to verify vaccine records, according to WGN. Officers contacted the Hooved Animal Rescue & Protection Society (HARPS) in Barrington Hills, and HARPS investigators arrived at the Marengo property Friday, the news report added.

Investigators found two dead miniature horses showing signs of starvation, in addition to five alive but emaciated horses. Those five horses were brought to the HARPS facility for treatment and are expected to recover, according to WGN. Their owner, an Elgin resident, and caretaker, a Marengo resident, were arrested.

HARPS will continue to watch over the remaining horses at the Marengo property, as those horses are owned by other renters, the news report added.

>> More information: harpsonline.org

Patch will update this story as new information becomes available.