Court prepares for horse confiscation hearing | Local news

BRATTLEBORO — A Townshend horse breeder says he is looking for an attorney to represent him during an evidentiary hearing in Windham Superior Court to determine whether he should forfeit horses seized from his facility. in september.

“The law requires the court to set the hearing within 21 days unless that time period is waived,” Judge John Treadwell said at a status conference Tuesday morning. “Do you think this is a reasonable time to find a lawyer?”

“It’s going to be tight,” said Robert Labrie, 71, owner of Friesians of Majesty, a horse breeding facility on Maggie Ladd Road.

Interim Windham County State’s Attorney Steven Brown asked the court to schedule the time needed for Labrie’s last court appearance for a forfeiture hearing, following the seizure of 13 horses last summer.

The court approved the seizure of the horses and ordered Labrie to pay $36,000 to Dorset Equine Rescue, which rehabilitated and adopted the animals. He has not yet made any payments to the horse rescue organization.

Labrie last July He denied 16 accusations from animal cruelty. The next hearing date on these charges has been set for January 27.

Treadwell said half a day would be enough Labrie He said he might need a day to present evidence and witnesses.

Brown said Labrie has been in “talks” with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to resolve some of the charges against him, adding, “The state has an interest in reaching a resolution on this matter as quickly as possible.”

The seized horses (approximately 35 in total) were not fed adequately, untreated health problemsand viral and bacterial infections.

Although there are still about 100 horses at the facility, local horse rescue organizations do not have the financial resources to care for that many horses.

The date of the removal hearing has not yet been set.