EVERGREEN, Colo. — Jefferson County Animal Control responded to reports of two injured animals at a therapy animal ranch in Evergreen Monday morning. The ranch’s owner believes the animals may have been hurt intentionally.
Jennifer Edwards runs 14-Hands Ranch. It’s a rescue and rehabilitation center for animals and — Edwards says — people as well.
“Anybody that might be at risk in our community can come up here and do animal-assisted therapy,” she said.
However, Edwards believes someone may have intentionally harmed two of her animals on Friday.
A Jefferson County Animal Control officer was at the ranch Monday morning investigating her claims.
Edwards says a puncture wound on her horse Fielder’s neck is the result of a gunshot. She also believes poison is to blame for her pig Snort’s lethargy that started over the weekend.
Several yard signs surrounding 14-Hands Ranch show some neighbors aren’t happy about the perceived commercialization of the property and increased traffic that would come with it.
The Problem Solvers tried to talk to some of those neighbors but only one would, off-camera. That person confirmed the idea of commercialization and additional traffic are the concerns. Edwards says she has no intention of commercializing the ranch she purchased just over a year ago.
According to a report from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, no metal fragments were found inside the wound on the horse’s neck. It goes on to report that a veterinarian could not identify the exact cause of the pig’s behavior, but they also could not rule out poisoning.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office considers the case closed.