By SHEILA G. KELLEY

News editor

After a four-month investigation, a horse was removed Jan. 17 from a property in Peabody and the owner charged with animal cruelty in Peabody municipal court.

Peabody chief of police Bruce Burke said Jeannie Gervais had been arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Burke had received numerous calls from residents over a 45-day span asking him to investigate a possible case of animal neglect.

The palomino mare, Amy, is an old horse. As a horse ages, it becomes thinner, even when properly cared for and fed.

Before deciding to remove the horse, Burke called in Peabody’s animal control officer and two area veterinarians to find out if the horse’s poor condition was due to neglect, age, or both.

The horse was formerly kept in a paddock, along with a miniature horse, near the front of the property, at 803 N. Prairie View Lane. They were later moved to a wooded area at the back of the property.

The mare is at an undisclosed location until after trial.

Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor, punishable with a fine up to $2,500 and up to a year in jail.