Horses seized from Wrenshall farm

Carlton County authorities impounded a dozen horses from the property of a Wrenshall farmer last week.

The county's civil case against the man, Henry DeVriendt, 63, reached online District Court on Monday. DeVriendt appeared to want to relinquish his claims to the horses, but an erratic performance over the telephone caused Judge Rebekka Stumme to schedule a further hearing for November.

The DeVriendt pasture at 1196 Gault Road has been investigated multiple times by the Carlton County Sheriff's Office in recent years, following up neighbors' complaints that animals were malnourished and escaping fencing onto roadways and neighbors' property.

A Sept. 5 search warrant noted descriptions of several horses, including a number of chestnut mares and one foal. The warrant stated the purpose of the impoundment as "animal neglect, lack of constraint [and] adequate food supply, ongoing injuries to animals [and] hazards within [the] pasture."

"I've never been given a hard date on when I had to have my articles picked up in the pasture and my shelter fixed," DeVriendt told the judge.

Assistant Carlton County attorney Demonte Noble said criminal charges against DeVriendt remained under consideration. Any criminal charges would be misdemeanor-level crimes, Stumme said.

"That's a decision that's still pending," Noble told the court. "I do believe there will have to be further discussion; at this time there are no further charges."

Both Noble and DeVriendt indicated it was the farmer's intent to permanently relinquish the animals to the county.

DeVriendt represented himself in the hearing. He seemed to vacillate between wanting an attorney and wanting to relinquish the animals.

Given his conflicting positions, Stumme opted to give DeVriendt time to seek an attorney.

He asked about a court-appointed attorney, but was reminded by Stumme that the civil matter of impounding the horses does not meet the standard for being granted a court-appointed attorney. Criminal charges, on the other hand, would.

"You will need to have your own counsel," Stumme said.

The judge set an evidentiary hearing for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Carlton County Courthouse. She told both parties they'd need to have evidence filed and witness lists prepared two weeks in advance of the hearing.

"If you decide to represent yourself, you would be responsible for letting the county know who to call as witnesses," Stumme told DeVriendt.

"How about if I'll just relinquish them now, then," DeVriendt said.

"You can discuss this with Mr. Noble," Stumme said. "I want you to have time to consider your options."

In the meantime, the horses are being housed by the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation, based in Zimmerman, Minnesota.