On March 24, a Magistrate Court Judge in West Virginia ordered a horse rescue operator in that state to pay more than $11,000 in restitution to cover the cost of care for animals removed from her property last year.

In September 2010, Berkeley County, West Virginia law enforcement authorities removed 53 allegedly malnourished horses and two cows from the Hidden Meadows Equine Rescue, Inc. operated by Mary O’Brien. A dead horse was also found at the property. Following the removal, some of the horses were placed under rehabilitative care within the county. Eight deemed in the most critical condition were placed at the Day’s End Farm Horse Rescue in Lisbon, Md., where one horse later died. The surviving horses received rehabilitative care and most have moved on to new adoptive homes.

O’Brien was later charged with 56 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. On Oct. 21, O’Brien pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty under a plea agreement, and was ordered pay a $1,000 fine and is prohibited from owning animals for five years Under terms of the deal, 55 of the charges were dropped in exchange for the guilty plea.

A Berkeley Magistrate Court spokesperson said that on Thursday, Berkeley County Magistrate Joan Bragg ordered O’Brien to repay the Berkeley County Council $11,071 for the care of the removed animals