Animal cruelty charges leveled in horse case

A woman has been charged with felony animal cruelty after 15 severely neglected horses were seized by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office in May.

Tanya Michele Shove is scheduled to be in Flathead District Court for an arraignment Sept. 2.

The Flathead County Attorney’s Office on Aug. 16 filed a charge of felony aggravated cruelty against the former Flathead County resident.

Shove faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a fine of $2,500.

Shove allegedly boarded the animals on private property near Jellison Road before leaving the area without providing a forwarding address.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office went to the property May 7 after someone reported that the animals had not been fed in at least five days. A week later, deputies returned and found that volunteers were helping keep the horses fed, but they were still underweight.

There was no food available to the horses, and the ground had limited vegetation, according to court documents.

A veterinarian observed the horses May 15 and determined that most were malnourished and some had hoof problems.

Fifteen of the animals were seized by the sheriff’s office May 27. They were taken to the Flathead County Fairgrounds, where charitable donations have been used to feed them, according to court documents.

Shove later told a Flathead County deputy that she moved to Denton and had planned to return. She said she left seven bales of hay for the horses. The animals were left in the care of a friend, she said at the time.

The man denied agreeing to watch the horses and has offered to testify against Shove, according to court documents.

Flathead County Undersheriff Pete Wingert said the horses are currently being cared for by a citizen who volunteered to board them. Several mares have given birth to additional foals, according to court documents.

“They’re doing good now,” Wingert said.