Authorities in Camp Verde, Arizona, have arrested a horse owner on animal cruelty charges after flooding killed three horses and left four others missing and presumed dead.
The Camp Verde Marshal’s Office said first responders were called to a property near West Grippen Road on November 1 after reports that horses had become trapped by rapidly rising floodwater.
Investigators allege that neighbours and emergency personnel offered to move the animals to higher ground, but the owner refused to release them from their enclosures despite repeated warnings that conditions were worsening.
Four horses were eventually rescued and given veterinary care, while three were found dead. Crews searching the property and surrounding area have been unable to locate four others, which authorities believe also died.
The marshal’s office said the investigation included witness interviews, statements from emergency responders, veterinary assessments and records documenting the conditions in which the animals were found. The suspect has not been publicly identified.
Officials praised Copper Canyon Fire and Medical Authority, Emergency Equine Evacuation, veterinary teams, local residents and volunteers for working in dangerous conditions to save the surviving horses.
