Olney man charged with felony animal cruelty

An Olney man with a previous conviction for animal cruelty was arrested on Sept. 16 and charged with cruelty to a livestock animal in connection with a foundered horse in his care, Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck said.

Tony Clayton, 54, was arrested a year ago for chaining a dog to a fence in subfreezing temperatures outside an old barn on Avenue F where he was squatting, Chief Birbeck said. That dog, a brown pit bull, and a second shorthaired dog found on the property were seized after Olney police warned Clayton that Texas law prohibits dogs from being chained without access to food or shelter, Chief Birbeck said.

A few weeks ago, an animal control officer discovered the horse, an Appaloosa stud named Wally, wandering on Spring Creek Road and noticed the animal’s overgrown hooves, he said. The animal control officer caught the horse and returned it to Clayton’s property at 201 Spring Creek Road and told him to attend to its feet, Chief Birbeck said.

“The horse is barely able to walk and we went out and took a look at it again and got a local veterinarian involved to assess the horse,” Chief Birbeck said. “[Mr. Clayton] was arrested again for cruelty to livestock animals. The horse was seized and taken where it could get care. They are going to try to save the horse and not euthanize it.”

Mr. Clayton faces a felony charge of cruelty to a livestock animal, Chief Birbeck said.