MILLINGTON, Tenn. — The husband of a Millington woman accused of starving three horses to death is now wanted on felony animal cruelty charges.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant Friday for Randall Simpson, 29, the same day his wife Courtney Simpson, 35, was arrested on multiple animal cruelty charges.
Investigators with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture say she left three horses to die of starvation and neglected several others on her and her husband’s Millington property.
“It breaks your heart. I don’t know what else to say, it just breaks your heart,” said Jamie Kroh-Jones, with Living the Life Animal Rescue.
Randall Simpson is wanted on one charge of cruelty to animals and two charges of aggravated cruelty to animals.
“A lot of people just don’t care. They’re just animals, they’re livestock,” Kroh-Jones said.
She sees the needless negligence every day.
Related: Woman charged with animal cruelty after horses found dead, starving
Kroh-Jones, along with her partner at Living the Life Animal Rescue – one of the only horses rescues in the city – have been saving horses there for 17 years.
“I get a lot of calls of horses without hay, without proper water, very thin,” she said.
On the more than 150-acre farm, they care primarily for horses and ponies who have been neglected and abused, like Lacey, who was rescued more than 20 years ago for just $300. Now, she’s a multi-award-winning national show jumper pony.
“That’s my baby. That’s the one that started it all,” Kroh-Jones said. “Some of our best show horses we found starving to death in people’s fields.”
All too often, she says people are either too selfish or worried about getting in trouble to reach out for help when they’ve gotten in over their heads.
“We would rather educate the public than take their animals,” Kroh-Jones said.
They can only hope those owners or someone who sees abuse or neglect will call them or their local animal control so they can step in and offer help before it’s too late, something she wishes Courtney Simpson and her husband would have done.
“I would have said, ‘Hey, can you sign these horses over to me legally. I won’t go after you legally, just sign them over, let me handle it.'”
Many of the horses saved by Living the Life Animal Rescue are rehabbed and end up in its riding program.
Courtney Simpson will be in court Monday morning.
Earle Farrell, with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, told WREG Sunday they are still looking for Randall Simpson.
The rescue group is always in need of donations. You can find them on Facebook for more information, or donate through PayPal at llarinc2016@gmail.com.