Man before Toowoomba court on horse neglect charges

A MAN charged with 21 counts of breaching a duty of care to animals has made his first appearance before a Toowoomba court.

Police claim 13 horses were found dead and another eight emaciated. Picture: SUPPLIED

A MAN charged in relation to a number of horses allegedly found dead and others emaciated on a property at Charlton west of Toowoomba has made his first appearance before Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

Terence John Oberle stood quietly beside solicitor Joe McConnell, of MacDonald Law, acting as town agent for defence solicitors Woods Murdoch Solicitors, as he was formally charged with 21 counts of breaching a duty of care to animals.

Mr McConnell said he had been instructed to seek a full brief of evidence on the matter.

Oberle was charged after 13 horses were allegedly found dead on a property near Gowrie Mountain in January and another number of horse were allegedly found emaciated.

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner earlier this month told parliament that Biosecurity Queensland had in January received a report that several horses were running in a bare droughted paddock near Charlton.

"The surviving eight horses were moved to two properties at Minden and Central Queensland," Mr Furner said.

"All horses were in good condition and had gained weight when last inspected by Biosecurity Queensland in March and February respectively."

The incident first came to light after a neighbour reported the incident to the RSPCA, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission in January, after seeing a number of horses in poor condition.

Members of the QRIC visited the property and found seven were ex-racehorses.

Biosecurity Queensland began their investigation shortly after, having found dead and emaciated horses on the property.

Oberle was not required to enter any pleas to the charges and no specific details pertaining to the case were aired in court.Magistrate Kay Ryan remanded him on bail and adjourned the case for mention back in the same cold on October 19.

Originally published as Man before Toowoomba court on horse neglect charges