Starving horses lead to the arrest of 59 year old

A Fresno man’s mistreatment of horses led to his arrest by Fresno County Sheriffs on Tuesday night.

The County Sheriffs arrested Dana Thomas Kahler, 59, on animal abuse charges after receiving a report of several horses starving at a residence located on the 6000 block of East Shepherd Avenue in Fresno.

Dana Thomas Kahler was arrested on animal abuse charges

After receiving the report, county sheriffs, a veterinarian and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) responded to the scene around 3 p.m. and discovered 19 horses in various stages of malnourishment.

Sheriff spokesman Chris Curtice said that Kahler not only leased the land on Shepherd Avenue, but was the owner of the horses.

“He was not on scene but showed up before deputies were finished with their investigation,” Curtice said. “Kahler was arrested and transported to the Fresno County Jail, where he was booked on charges of felony to cruelty to animals.”

One horse was so severely neglected that it did not survive the starvation.

“One of the horses, a two-year-old gelding, was lying in the middle of a stable in obvious distress and unable to get back to its feet,” Curtice said. “It was obvious that the horse had been neglected and was suffering from starvation. Due to the severe medical condition of the gelding, it had to be euthanized by the vet.”

Curtice also confirmed that of the 18 remaining horses, eight of them were in a severe state of malnutrition.

Good Samaritans did donate hay for the neglected horses through the night. SPCA officers have now moved the horses to a different location.

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