Investigators: Three horses found dead in Hopewell; Others living in five feet of manure

HOPEWELL, N.Y. — A man is facing charges after Ontario County Humane Society investigators said they found three dead horses and multiple horses living in manure in a barn in Hopewell.

Alan Scrivener, 72, is charged with five counts of both animal cruelty and failure to provide food or water to an animal. This comes as different man is also facing charges after an investigation into two dead horses and multiple malnourished horses his barn in Farmington.

Investigators responded to the barn on Stoddard Road in Hopewell on Sunday, May 26. They said five horses were standing in five or six feet of manure, so high the horses couldn’t exit the barn.

According to the humane society, investigators found several bones at a coral attached to the barn. After returning to the barn with a search warrant four days later, investigators found the remains of three horses.

Investigators also say the hooves of the five living horses were so neglected over several years that they had curled up. They say the horses had hay to eat but little water.

The five horses are now in the care of a local livestock business. Scrivener was issued a ticket to appear in Town of Hopewell Court. The humane society says this case isn’t related to the Farmington animal cruelty investigation.