In a disturbing case of animal neglect out of San Joaquin County, a woman is facing charges after authorities discovered 27 dead horses on multiple properties she owned in Clements. According to KCRA, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office conducted a search warrant yesterday, unveiling a grave scene where several other horses were found in a state of malnutrition.
Further insights shared by the sheriff’s office indicated that deputies unearthed approximately "27 dead horses" and had no other choice but to euthanize "four other horses and one bull due to their poor condition." In the face of such neglect, 16 surviving horses have been taken in by Oakdale Equine Rescue, as conveyed in the KCRA report. Jan Johnson, the 62-year-old woman implicated in this case, was arrested and now faces an array of charges including "cruelty to an animal, threatening a public official, criminal threats and possession of a short-barrel shotgun."
Details provided by CBS News Sacramento indicate that Johnson owned the farms where the animals were found in dire straits, including locations on North McIntire Road near Highway 12 and Atkins Road near Highway 88. Prior to the grim discovery, Johnson reportedly had an outstanding warrant for allegedly making threats to a school, its employees, and officers.
Jan Johnson is currently being held at the San Joaquin County Jail and is expected to be arraigned in court tomorrow. Oakdale Equine Rescue, the organization now caring for the 16 horses that were rescued, is located south of the properties involved in the incident. The Sheriff's Office, alongside animal services officers and veterinarians, is reported to be continually evaluating additional horses and animals, due to the size of the property, as the CBS News article included.
