BUCKHORN – Two Perry County residents have been cited on animal cruelty charges after police say they found several malnourished animals on their property at Squabble Creek.

Authorities cited Ora Sizemore, 57, and Betty Sizemore, 36, on several counts of second-degree animal cruelty, said Deputy Jack Duff who is handling the case for the Perry County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities say they removed the animals from the property Friday afternoon, which included three horses, a mule, a donkey, a goat, five dogs, four cats, and four goldfish, the latter of which were found in only a few inches of green, murky water, and transported some to a private farm for care.

According to the police report, the sheriff's office had received complaints of abandoned animals, and on Monday, July 20 attempted to make contact with the property owners. While there, Deputy Duff and Chief Deputy Tony Eversole observed "malnourished and sick animals" on the property, but the owners were not home at the time. Deputy Duff, along with Deputy Joe Duff and other officials, returned to the home last Friday and removed the animals from the property. According to the report, the Sizemores claimed responsibility for the animals.

Duff said the horses were tied up, couldn’t reach a water source, and were malnourished. He said there was evidence that they had attempted to gnaw through their ropes, and one of the animals appeared to have attempted to eat tree bark as it couldn't reach any other food source.

One of the dogs removed last week appeared to be severely malnourished as its ribs were easily visible. Duff said it was a possibility that two of the dogs removed from the property may not be able to be nursed back to health.

“Two of them are probably not going to make it,” he said.

Both and Ora and Betty Sizemore are each charged with 15 counts of second-degree animal cruelty, a class A misdemeanor.