Texas: update on Bywaters case.

Follow up to Texas: vet suspected of animal cruelty.

Horse Custody Hearing Held In Aransas County [link]
Lauren Williamson | Aug 21, 2008

A hearing was held Wednesday in Aransas County to determine who will get custody of some horses removed from some private property in Rockport. Authorities were contacted last Wednesday and asked to investigate a possible case of animal cruelty. When they searched the property, they found a horse that appeared to have been dead for some time and two more that appeared to be underfed. They also found two more horses at another location. Two were turned over to a horse rescue group.

In the meantime, the owner, a Corpus Christi veterinarian named Dr. Sally Bywaters, said it is all a misunderstanding. No decisions have been made yet because the hearing concluded for the day but it is far from over. The county attorney is recommending they be turned over to Bluebonnet Rescue and he presented four witnesses to support his case. The hearing actually began without Dr. Bywaters because she arrived late.

Rockport property owner Earl Matthews said he has leased land to Dr. Bywaters for her five horses. Matthews said she was inconsistent with her care and feeding of the horses and even became delinquent on rent. He had a judge sign a formal eviction to get her horses off the property earlier this year.

The court also heard from veterinarian Neal Florkey who inspected the two seized horses. He said they were very skinny with ribs and hip bones protruding. Of course, there are a lot more witnesses to testify and the court will hear from them on Monday. Gulf Coast Humane Society says Dr. Bywaters is still their veterinarian at the agency. The court has yet to hear from Dr. Bywaters, the owner of the horses. That may happen on Monday when the county attorneys finish presenting their witnesses.

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