While the undercover video taken at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana has dominated headlines the past two days, another suspected case of cruelty has re-emerged in the courtroom. According to local media, 89-year-old cattle owner Roger Edward Pederson was charged with one county of first-degree animal cruelty and one count of second-degree animal cruelty after more than 70 dead cattle were found on his property. Last year, Pederson had been charged with five felony counts and a related misdemeanor in connection to this case.
The cattle owner has pleaded not guilty to the previous charges, but a plea for this new round of charges was not mentioned. The investigation into Pederson was started about a year and a half ago, when over 170 cattle were removed from his land.
The Skagit Valley Herald reported that some of those animals later died from illness or were euthanized.
To read more about the Pedersons, which own about 140 acres in Bay View, Washington, click here.
