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Bristol woman ordered to pay Blountville stable owner for unpaid fees, damages caused by neglected horses

Published July 15th, 2008 | 0 Comments

A Bristol woman convicted of animal cruelty for neglecting several horses that she boarded in a Blountville facility was ordered Tuesday to pay restitution to the owner for unpaid boarding fees and damages to the barn, according to a press release.

Boyd and Heather Smith, owners of B & H Stables, were awarded a judgment of $18,146.25 in a civil suit against Karen L Harlan, 47, 825 Wilson Avenue, attorney Ricky Curtis said.

The animal cruelty charges were brought against Harlan after the Smiths reported Harlan wasn't properly caring for more than 20 horses she brought to B & H Stables. The Smiths said their stables were damaged when the starving horses resorted to eating the barn wood.

Harlan surrendered 20 horses and was ordered to serve 90 days in jail after pleading guilty in october 2007 to 15 counts of animal cruelty in Bristol, Tenn. court.

A Sullivan County Chancery Court judge ruled that six of Harlan's horses that remain on the Smiths' property are to be sold at auction in order to make restitution to the Smiths unless they and Harlan come to an agreement on an alternative method of placing the horses.

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