Judge awards horses to Habitat for Horses

By PAUL STONE
The Palestine Herald
 

PALESTINE — Eighteen horses seized earlier this week by local law enforcement authorities were awarded to a non-profit Houston-area agency following a hearing Thursday before a local justice of the peace.

Following Thursday afternoon’s hearing, Anderson County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Gary Thomas ordered 18 horses seized from the property of L.H. Wuensch, south of Elkhart, be awarded to Hitchcock-based Habitat for Horses Inc.

The horses were seized Monday morning from Wuensch’s property on ACR 176, south of Elkhart, after Anderson County sheriff’s authorities received a tip from a private citizen, according to Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor.

Earlier this week, the sheriff earlier described “the majority” of the seized horses as “thin,” although some were in “fairly good shape.”

Wuensch and Anderson County sheriff’s deputy Dan Watkins were among a handful of witnesses testifying during Thursday’s hearing.

Wuensch is 83 and has some health problems, authorities have said.

“Mr. Wuensch is not capable of taking care of the horses anymore,” Taylor said following Thursday’s hearing. “The horses will be better off and Mr. Wuensch won’t have to worry about them. He’s got enough to worry about with his health.”

Stanley Sokolowski, Anderson County assistant district attorney, represented the state during Thursday’s proceeding.

Jerry Finch, a Level III cruelty investigator, and others testified “the horses were underweight...and their hooves weren’t being properly cared for,” according to Sokolowski.

“I don’t think he (Wuensch) was able to care for them,” Sokolowski added. “He’s getting up in age and has some medical conditions.”