Veterinarian Charged With Animal Cruelty, Advocate Wants Law Changed
BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- It's one of the worst cases of animal abuse to hit our area in years, and a Bucks County woman is working to change state law.
Eyewitness News was the only television station there in January, when three volunteer fire departments and about 20 Bucks County volunteers brought Clarissa to her feet. Some of the video is just too disturbing to put on television.
The seven-year-old horse was found with 15 other malnourished horses, on property outside Allentown owned by a veterinarian. That veterinarian is Clyde "Renny" Shoop. He was in court last week, found guilty of animal cruelty.
He claimed he didn't own all of the animals, but they were on his property. He was ordered to pay almost $30,000 in fines, but that's about it. No jail time. Not even a felony or misdemeanor on his record in this case.
Lori McCutcheon made it her mission to save horses like Clarissa almost thirty years ago.
"How could a veterinarian do this? He took an oath to take care of these animals all his life. Something had to have gone bonkers in his head because how could anybody do this?," McCutcheon told Eyewitness News.
When we visited the Last Chance Ranch near Quakertown back in January, Clarissa could barely stand up. After weeks of intense nursing, she's back in action.
Rachel Stone works for McCutcheon at Last Chance Ranch and spends time riding Clarissa to train the horse's muscles. Clarissa gained 300 pounds since being rescued. "To be the person that gets to teach her how to actually be a horse and be around people is a really good feeling," she said.
McCutcheon calls the Clarissa rescue one of the worst she's seen in her career. Not only did authorities rescue 16 horses, they saved 20 sheep, 10 dogs, a pig, and a cow. Six horses had to be euthanized just a few days after the rescue.
"They were just too far gone. We couldn't save them," McCutcheon said.
Now, McCutcheon is fighting to change Pennsylvania law. Animal abusers in Pennsylvania may get a felony, a misdemeanor, or in many cases, just a summons and fine. That's what happened to Dr. Shoop.
"Summary offenses are just, nothing. Pay a fine and walk away. There has to be more," she said.
McCutcheon says she takes it personally and is doing everything possible to ensure abusers walk away with at least a misdemeanor.
Eyewitness News reached out to Dr. Shoop for comment, but our calls were not returned.