Owner of malnourished horses, pony would lick sick horse's eyes, spit out its mucus: affidavit
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (WFLA) — The owner of several malnourished animals who would caress her sick horses and lick away mucus in their eyes was arrested for felony animal cruelty, an arrest affidavit said.
On March 1, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office received a complaint from Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control involving sick and 'emaciated' horses at a home. A veterinarian had visited the home on Feb. 23 for a sick horse who was lying in its stall and couldn't get up.
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The vet told deputies that the horse was covered in feces and urine, and had superficial abrasions above its head, likely from hitting the nearby walls in an attempt to get up, the report said. The horse showed signs of dehydration, was hemodynamic and in 'some degree of shock.'
The doctor met with the animal's owner, 74-year-old Pamela Beres, and recommended euthanasia, as the horse's labored and shallow breathing and distended abdomen led him to believe it would not make it through the night.
'This horse is living, and it will live because I say it will,' Beres yelled to the doctor.
After propping the horse upright with hay bales, Beres told the doctor she had to do something. That's when she began caressing the horse's head, telling it 'I know you like this, this is some kind of sex [inaudible],' the affidavit said.
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The doctor told deputies Beres opened the horse's eyes, licked them with her tongue, licked away the mucus and spit it out in the stall, before continuing.
When a deputy arrived on March 1 to the home, she saw four horses that appeared emaciated, with their ribs, hip bones and spine sticking out, and another horse 'clearly in poor condition' with its hip bones protruding from its body, the affidavit said. A total of six horses and one pony were found on the property.
The horse that the doctor had responded to in February had died.
None of the horses had access to water and had minimal food. The animals, including the pony, were all underweight in various degrees and 'severely malnourished,' as some horses were on the brink of starvation.
Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control seized the animals and said that they are receiving basic care of proper nutrition, dental work and deworming. It was also reported that parasitism may have contributed to their lower weights.
Beres was arrested on Tuesday and charged with seven counts of felony animal cruelty and seven counts of confinement without food, water or exercise, the affidavit said.
WFLA.com has reached out to the animal care center for additional information.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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