Starving horses found in rescue ranch raid

LOVELAND, Colo., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Sheriff's deputies took 27 animals from a Colorado horse rescue ranch where they were found starving and with frozen water.

Animal Angels Horse Rescue, near Loveland, was started by owner Alesha Matchett in 2002 to provide a home for horses, donkeys and llamas, The Denver Post reported Sunday. But by 2007, it was packed with 66 animals and Matchett confided in a neighbor she was having trouble affording enough food to feed them all.

Officials said they plan to charge Matchett with animal cruelty and are closely watching the health of the other 39 animals on the property.

The Humane Society, which worked with sheriff's office to confiscate the animals, had already received two complaints in 2007.

Matchett said the animals were sickly when she took them in, and blamed a neighboring ranch for launching a "witch hunt" against her, the Post said.