Cottondale Man Charged After Malnourished Horses Rescued

Tuscaloosa AL

04 December, 2020

6:47 PM

Description

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — A Cottondale man bonded out of jail Thursday night after being arrested and charged earlier in the day for two counts of animal cruelty. Investigators with the Tuscaloosa County Animal Control Unit say the charges stem from two malnourished and emaciated horses being rescued on Clements Road this summer. Click here to subscribe to our daily email newsletters and breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices for free. You can also support local journalism by donating as little as $5 a month to become a supporting member or by downloading our free Patch mobile app. Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Deputy Martha Hocutt, an investigator with the unit, told Patch on Friday that an arrest warrant was signed Wednesday for 48-year-old William Nolan, who then was charged after the horses were found on a neighbor's property in July, showing signs of severe neglect. "They gained weight back and they actually look wonderful," she said of the horses, named Ignition and Spanky. "Because of the findings that they were basically malnourished, he was charged with two counts of animal cruelty and arrested [Thursday] afternoon." Hocutt said the horses had been off of the suspect's property for around a month by the time they were rescued and photos of the horses show them in a clear state of decline, with rib cages visible through their skin. "If you see a horse or any animal that looks skin and bones or that looks bad or is in bad condition, please call us," she said. "There may be nothing to it, but I would rather check it out than not. The main thing is to call us and a lot of time they say they call and nothing is done but that's because of the criteria, we will check it out anyway." Nolan was released from the Tuscaloosa County Jail Thursday after a judge set his bond at $1,500 each for the two counts. City of Tuscaloosa residents with information regarding animal abuse are asked to call (205) 248-5840, while residents of Northport can contact (205) 339-6600. Follow Patch here for updates or on Facebook and Twitter. You can also download the Patch mobile app, free for Apple and Android mobile devices