Woman arraigned on charges tied to neglecting animals

STAFF REPORT

NEWTON FALLS — A Braceville Township woman pleaded innocent to two misdemeanor charges tied to mistreating several horses and other animals on a farm on state Route 82 near the Portage County line.

“Several of the horses had had their tails eaten off by other horses” or had eaten their own tails, “and several were gnashing on the wood of the barn, apparently trying to consume any type of foodstuff available,” Detective Harold Firster of the Trumbull County Sheriff’s office reported.

Melissa Giambrone, 28, who has addresses at the farm, 5796 state Route 82, and in Aurora, entered the plea Monday in Newton Falls Municipal Court, where she returns for a preliminary hearing at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 8. If convicted, she could face up to a year in jail.

She was arrested Friday afternoon, after deputies were called to the farm regarding the animals. She was released from the Trumbull County jail later Friday after posting bond.

The worst of the animals was a horse that was “extremely emaciated,” apparently from malnutrition, according to Firster. The horse could barely stand up and had sores or blood on about 10 percent of his body, he said.

There was no hay, grain or any type of food visible in the barn, and the sheriff’s department and Braceville Police Department had received about five calls in the past two weeks about horses’ getting loose from the farm, apparently looking for food, Firster said.

There also were a cow, cats and chickens, and all appeared to be hungry, Firster said. Another horse had obvious malnutrition and a broken leg, he said.

Annette Fisher, a human officer and administrator of Happy Trails Animal Shelter in Ravenna, took 12 of the horses to the shelter. Four other horses remained at the farm for their owners to pick them up. Neighbors were planning to care for the dogs and cats.

Fisher confirmed that several of the animals were starving, Firster said.