A King William County, Virginia, judge has granted the county’s Commonwealth Attorney’s motion request that the animal cruelty charges against the New Beginnings Horse Rescue not be prosecuted.

In October 2015, the Orange County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office began investigating conditions at Peaceable Farm, near Somerset, where authorities discovered a herd of 89 allegedly emaciated horses, along with the remains of seven other horses. Investigators also found two donkeys and other animals. The farm’s owner surrendered 71 horses, and another 10 were seized after the owner declined to surrender the animals.

All of the seized or surrendered horses were subsequently placed in rehabilitative care at several rescue organizations, including 11 horses placed at New Beginnings Horse Rescue in Aylett, Virginia.

In June King William County Animal Control personnel seized 42 horses from New Beginnings Horse Rescue after investigating several complaints that the animals were unhealthy and lacked access to food and water. Cassy Newell-Reed, New Beginnings operator, was subsequently charged with three counts of Class 1 misdemeanor animal cruelty