Man charged with horse abuse, 3 euthanized

Easton, Conn. (WTNH) - After removing several horses from an Easton farm, officials have now charged the owner.

The situation at Easton's Pee Wee Horse Farm is one that has many sickened. News 8 learned that three of the five horses taken away from the owner were so ill they had to be euthanized.

Animal Control says when they warned the owner his horses needed extra medical attention he said, "nobody's going to tell me what to do."

The farm owner, 75-year-old Appollonio Vittorio was arrested last month.

Concerned horse owners and animal lovers familiar with Vittorio's arrest couldn't help but drive by.

"They looked fat," said Kate Krumleide, of Weston.

When News 8 showed a few ladies a YouTube clip of "Blackie" sent in through our Report It feature, their opinions quickly changed.

"His hip bones and ribs and crap in his tail," said Krumleide. "He's eating some kind of sticks. It's not even real. It's weeds. He's eating weeds."

Many are worried, knowing that Vittorio admitted to Animal Control that he had 115 horses on his farm, 75 of which were his own.

Animal Control says since October they were called to Pee Wee Horse Farm a number of times. They told Vittorio how badly a number of the horses needed medical attention and appropriate shelter, but he never followed through on making any changes.

News 8 went to ask Vittorio why he didn't follow through with the recommendations, but one of his workers said he'd be back shortly. He eventually sped by, so we called him and left a message.

"If you could come out that would be great. Thank you."

Vittorio never came outside.

The court affidavit has specific examples of what Animal Control observed when they looked at the horses, which included poor condition, plus discharge of the left eye, irregular overgrown teeth, dermatitis, and rain rot which is a skin infection caused by lack of shelter.

Vittorio will be back in court March 6th, facing six counts of animal cruelty. Animal Control says he could spend six years behind bars.