WARNING: Photos in gallery are of abused/neglected animals and may be disturbing.
OCALA, FL (352today.com) – An Ocala man is waiting to learn his sentence in an animal cruelty case.
Last week, a jury found 62-year-old Terrence Crowder guilty on two counts of animal cruelty and one count of aggravated animal cruelty which is a felony.
Courtesy: MCSO
Case History
The case dates back to July of 2022 when Marion County Animal Services (MCAS) found multiple underweight horses and an injured goat on Crowder’s property. They ordered him to get them veterinary care.
MCAS says when they followed up in August, Crowder had not complied. They say they “collected evidence suggesting that the animals were suffering from neglect and being cruelly treated” and confiscated five horses and eight goats from Crowder’s home.
A search of the Marion County court records shows the aggravated animal cruelty conviction stemmed from claims that Crowder did not properly care for the hooves of a pony named Shakira and that led to excessive or unnecessary pain and suffering for the animal.
The records also show Crowder failed to provide “necessary sustenance” to a mare named Harling’s Darling and that he failed to get medical care for a goat that had a “chronic wound.”
Marion County Animal Services provided the following photos of the animals seized from Crowder’s property and the conditions investigators found the animals living in as part of the news release.
Animals Rescued, Adopted into New Homes
“Cases like this happen in Marion County more often than we like to think. Thankfully, all 13 animals confiscated during this case were rehabilitated and placed in homes where they can peacefully live out the rest of their lives with love and affection,” said MCAS in a news release.
Crowder is being held in the Marion County Jail without bond as he awaits sentencing.
As a result of the conviction, he will be required to register as an animal abuser. The Marion County Board of County Commissioners established Molly’s Law in 2016 and it went into effect in January 2017. It created a database allows citizens, pet sellers, and rescue operations to verify that they are not placing and animal with a convicted animal abuser. You can search the registry here.
Marion County encourages the community to report potential cases of animal cruelty. You can report concerns to Animal Control by calling 352-671-8727.