CHIMACUM — A 72-year-old man has been charged with animal cruelty after seven starving bison were removed from a Chimacum Valley Field last month.
The Peninsula Daily News reported Thursday that seven of the eight animals were removed April 25 and taken to Center Valley Animal Rescue in Quilcene by order of Jefferson County.
Court records say Animal Control Deputy Terry Taylor recommended prosecution based on the observations of veterinarian Jan Richards and rescue director Sara Penhallegon who met him on the property.
The property tenant, Dennis “Denver” Shoop has been charged with eight counts of animal cruelty. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Jefferson County Superior Court last week.
Shoop allegedly told Taylor that he had only 20 bales of hay and had been rationing them because he was financially incapable of buying more.
