Deputies in Flagler County found a 27-year-old gelding named Laredo so emaciated his ribs, spine and hips jutted out during a welfare check on County Road 13 in July, and the man responsible for the horse's care has now been arrested on a felony charge. Jim Tyrone Lee, of Bunnell, was taken into custody Saturday on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty, months after the discovery set off a rescue effort that has slowly nursed the starving horse back toward health.
According to the FlaglerLive, Lee admitted to deputies during an interview that caring for the horse felt like a burden and that he could not afford proper feed beyond sweet feed or hay. He also told deputies he felt obligated to take in the horse after believing his mother had abandoned it, and he acknowledged that his failure to provide sufficient nutrition amounted to neglect, the outlet reported.
Deputy Anderson Chandler, who performed the initial welfare check, gave Laredo the lowest possible score on the Henneke Body Condition Scoring System, according to the Fox 35 Orlando report on the case. That scale, published by equine veterinary guidelines in The Horse, runs from 1 to 9, with a score of 1 representing extreme starvation in which an animal's ribs, spine, tailhead and shoulder bones project prominently with no discernible fat.
A Horse Left Without Veterinary Care Since 2010
Chandler's welfare check took place July 21 on County Road 13, per the sheriff's office. A veterinarian later confirmed that Laredo's condition was caused by inadequate nutrition, and officials said an untreated hormonal disease had worsened the horse's decline.
The FlaglerLive report fills in how Laredo ended up in that condition: the horse's owner had recently been released from prison before the July welfare check, acknowledged that Laredo had not received veterinary care since 2010, and voluntarily surrendered ownership rights to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. That surrender is what allowed deputies to immediately move Laredo into receiving facilities, according to the same report.
Bloodwork from Shelton Animal Clinic diagnosed Laredo with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction, or equine Cushing's Disease, an age-related hormonal disorder that causes severe muscle wasting and worsens without daily medication, the outlet's report notes. Lee had attempted to feed the gelding sweet feed and hay, but the untreated disease accelerated his weight loss regardless.
From Split Oak Ranch To A Dedicated Rescue
Deputies first transported Laredo to Split Oak Ranch, a 54-acre equestrian boarding facility in Bunnell, so he could get immediate food and water ahead of his official veterinary examination, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. On August 7, Laredo was transferred to SKC Hands Up Horse Rescue for longer-term care.
Under a managed nutritional refeeding protocol, Laredo gained approximately 150 pounds over five weeks at the rescue, the Palm Coast Observer reported. Refeeding severely emaciated horses requires strict veterinary oversight to avoid a fatal metabolic complication known as refeeding syndrome, the outlet noted, underscoring how carefully rescue staff had to manage the gelding's recovery.
Specialized Deputies And A Felony Charge
The welfare check and subsequent investigation were handled by the sheriff's office's Agricultural/Ranch Unit, a team staffed by two specialized agricultural deputies dedicated to livestock and rural property cases, per FlaglerLive's report. Lee was arrested Saturday on the aggravated animal cruelty charge and released on a $5,000 bond.
Under Florida Statute § 828.12(2), aggravated animal cruelty is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in state prison and a maximum fine of $10,000, according to The Florida Senate. The law also permits mandatory minimum fines or anger management counseling in cases involving severe suffering, and it allows separate felony charges for each individual animal subjected to severe neglect or abuse.
Laredo's case adds to what Hoodline reported in August was a distinct surge in severe animal neglect and abandonment cases across Flagler County throughout mid-2026, a trend that has led animal control and rescue organizations to urge financially struggling pet owners to surrender animals before conditions turn criminal. That case involved a Palm Coast dog and cat left to starve in a powerless home, one of several felony neglect arrests the county's Agriculture/Ranch Unit has made this year. Anyone with information about suspected animal abuse or neglect in Flagler County can contact the sheriff's office at 386-313-4911.
