Camp Verde Owner Arrested After Horses Die in Floodwaters

On November 5, the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office said a horse owner had been arrested on animal cruelty charges after horses became trapped in floodwaters near Grippen Road during flooding on November 1. Authorities have not released the suspect’s name.

The office said neighbors and emergency personnel offered to relocate the animals to safer elevations, yet the owner did not release them from their enclosures. The owner had received repeated warnings about worsening weather before floodwaters submerged the enclosures.

Responders, animal control staff, veterinarians and equine rescue volunteers searched for and recovered the animals over the following days. Four horses were rescued and received veterinary care. Three were found dead, while four others remain missing and are presumed dead.

Investigators interviewed witnesses and emergency responders, reviewed veterinary evaluations and documented the conditions in which the horses were found before making the arrest. The office praised the rescue teams, neighbors and volunteers who worked in dangerous conditions.

The marshal’s office said animal owners should include their animals in emergency plans. Severe flooding also damaged more than 100 homes in Camp Verde, including 12 that were considered total losses.