Crime & Safety
Man Charged With Animal Cruelty Of 3 'Emaciated' Horses: Sheriff
William La Rue told deputies he no longer wanted the horses that were found in a barn on his property, officials said.
SAUK VILLAGE, IL — A 63-year-old Sauk Village man has been charged with three counts of animal cruelty after a Cook County Sheriff's investigation revealed three "emaciated" horses on the man's property, authorities announced Friday.
William La Rue faces six counts in total — three misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty and three Class B misdemeanor charges of violation of owner's duties.
Cook County Animal Control alerted the sheriff's animal crimes unit of the poor condition of the three horses who were found in a barn on the 500 block of South 219th Street. The property was registered to La Rue, who told police he no longer wanted the horses, officials said.
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All three animals were severely underweight with no food and only frozen water, sheriff's deputies said in a news release. Following questioning, La Rue turned himself in to police on Thursday. He is scheduled to appear before a judge on Jan. 24.
The horses are now in the care of Cook County Animal Control, which will take them to Forest View Farms in Tinley Park where they can recover, animal control officers told Patch.
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