A California woman has been taken into custody after law enforcement discovered 27 dead horses spread across numerous properties she owns.
California woman arrested on multiple charges
The sheriff’s department arrested Jan Johnson, a Clements resident, as part of the investigation.
She is now facing criminal charges, including cruelty to animals and threatening a public official, according to law enforcement.
On Wednesday, deputies from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search operation in Clements, California, alongside officers from Animal Services.
The search was based on an ongoing investigation into suspected animal neglect, according to a statement released on Facebook by the sheriff’s department.
“Multiple properties were searched. During the operation, several malnourished horses were discovered on the premises with limited access to any food or water and approximately 27 deceased horses were located,” officials revealed in their post.
The post also included several photos of the deceased and malnourished animals that were found on the properties.
Authorities confirmed that 16 horses were rescued alive and transferred into the care of Oakdale Equine Rescue.
The sheriff’s office explained that the horses were “now in the care of professionals at the Oakdale Equine Rescue who will ensure they receive proper nutrition, medical attention, and rehabilitation.”
Neglect of California woman led to additional animal deaths
Unfortunately, four of the horses, as well as a bull, were in such poor condition that they had to be euthanized due to severe neglect.
Clements was also been charged with criminal threats and possession of a short-barrel shotgun, the department confirmed in its statement.
“Our Animal Services Officers, along with veterinarians who were at the scene, immediately began to triage and evaluate the condition of the horses,” authorities commented.
The officials added, “Animal services officers and veterinarians are still currently evaluating additional horses and animals due to the size of the property.”
The post highlighted their commitment to ensuring the safety of animals in the community, vowing to thoroughly investigate the case.
The sheriff’s office expressed gratitude to its officers and the Animal Services team for their “dedication and swift action in addressing this situation.”
They also extended their thanks to the Oakdale Equine Rescue team for its “incredible support.”
According to a Facebook post by Oakdale Equine Rescue, over 101 animals were ultimately rescued during the operation.
The breakdown of animals they took custody of from the property included, “89 mares, yearlings, weanling[s] colt, geldings, 4 stallions, 4 donkeys, 3 llamas and one molly mule.”
The organization stated that their veterinarians are still providing treatment for some animals neglected by the California woman.
Additionally, they have temporarily housed the rescued horses but are seeking donations to cover ongoing care expenses, such as veterinary costs, farrier services, and feed.
Emaciate horses rescued from barn
Meanwhile, a separate case from December 2023 in Georgia saw a similar arrest following the discovery of six severely emaciated horses confined inside a barn, one of which was found dead. Another horse, too weak to stand, was later euthanized.
The Haralson County Sheriff’s Office released stomach-turning photos that showed the remaining horses visibly starved, with their skeletal frames painfully apparent.
One horse was found lying on the ground in the barn upon deputies’ arrival.
Despite efforts, the animal was too far gone and had to be euthanized, according to reports from animal control teams.
The horse owner, identified as 63-year-old Ulas Dudley Bolan from Bremen, Georgia, has been arrested.
Authorities said he is now facing two counts of felony-level animal cruelty and four counts of animal cruelty on lesser charges.
Johnny Cook, a local horse trainer, took in the four surviving horses after Bolan handed them over. Cook provided the severely dehydrated animals with immediate care.
Cook recounted on social media the shocking state of the animals upon his arrival at the scene on October 27, 2023.
He described encountering one horse already deceased in a barn hallway, a “very very poor condition” animal that had been “severely starved” with hooves grown nearly a foot long due to neglect.
Another horse, described as an 11-year-old mare, was unable to rise from the ground. According to Cook, this horse bore sores along her jaw from what he suspected were repeated attempts to lift herself. The mare had to be euthanized.
The four other horses rescued from the property—a 23-year-old and three additional 11-year-olds—fared slightly better but were still dangerously underfed. Cook noted that “these four horses had no hay and no water. None.”
The Haralson County Sheriff’s Office clarified that they first became involved with this case through a welfare call about the horses the month prior.
When deputies visited the property, the owner, Bolan, was not present. However, he did return later during the investigation.
Ultimately, Bolan agreed to sign over custody of his horses to Cook, who transported the surviving animals back to his farm for immediate care and rehabilitation.
The horse trainer later noted on social media just how desperate the situation had been, explaining that the animals were in urgent need of both hay and water but were finally on their way to recovery.