Woman facing charges in animal cruelty investigation

GALLIA COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) -- A woman in Gallia County is facing charges after allegedly lying about her status as a rescue worker in order to take in horses.

Neighbors say it was clear to see the animals on her property were far from being taken care of.

Jeannie Oldaker from Clarksburg says after posting on social media that her two horses needed a new home, Angel Vance from Cheshire reached out to her in the fall of 2014, said she was an animal rescue worker, and that she'd take the horses.

Vance allegedly sent her photographs of an upscale farm and stable claiming they were hers, but Oldaker says she later found out those pictures were from North Carolina, not Vance's home in Gallia County.

"She told me she had a veterinarian, had all this stuff," Oldaker said. "I felt they were going to a good home."

After inquiring what ended up happening to the horses, Oldaker says Vance told her they were taken to another animal shelter. Oldaker says she checked with that shelter, and they told her they had not taken in those horses. Oldaker says after inquiring several more times, Vance's family finally told her they had died.

"Someone has to be pretty sick to even think about doing something like this," Oldaker said. "She just let them starve."

A neighbor on Turkey Run Road who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation told WSAZ he's seen dozens of horse remains and bones in the woods near Vance's home.

"These horses can't be getting fed," he said. "It's just not a normal farm."

That neighbor had photographs of decaying horse carcasses and bones. Several of them were to graphic to show.

Vance is charged with six counts of criminal simulation, two counts of stolen property, and one count of animal cruelty.

The criminal complaint says a donkey was found on the property that had died of poor nutrition and parasites.

"I've been fighting this for a year," Oldaker said. "I called everyone that I could think of to get help."

Vance plead not guilty Tuesday at Gallipolis Municipal Court.

She was taken to the Gallia County Jail Tuesday afternoon and is due back in court Friday. Her bond was set at $25,000.

Investigators haven't said anything yet about a motive.

A crew from WSAZ went to Vance's address to see if anyone there would like to share their side of the story, but a man there threatened to shoot if we didn't leave immediately.