Deplorable conditions found at family farm leads to animal cruelty charges

By Justin Berger

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    POLK COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — Warning: This story describes and has images pertaining to animal cruelty that may be disturbing.

A Polk County couple is facing four animal cruelty charges and possession of a bobcat charges.

Last year, their business, Sprinkle’s Mobile Petting Zoo, made headlines during the Apple Festival in Hendersonville when a city code violation was issued.

The City of Hendersonville tells News 13 that civil penalties were not ultimately pursued.

Less than a year later, the Sprinkle family farm was searched by Polk County Animal Control following an anonymous complaint related to the bobcat and the general condition of the rest of their animals.

Patti Lovelace with Polk County Animal Control was on the visit to the Sprinkle’s land and described the conditions as deplorable.

Lovelace told News 13 there was no grass in the pasture, manure everywhere, the water tanks were barely filled with green water and there was little to no food.

From a distance, she thought something was off with four of the mini horses on the property.

“They had a lot of hair on them so I was putting my hands on the minis and all I could feel was bones, was skeleton,” Lovelace said.

Madisonrose Sprinkle, who is charged in the bobcat case, said two of the mini horses were surrendered to her in bad condition, already emaciated.

Sprinkles claimed a separate mare had trouble putting on weight because the horse was depressed following a recent miscarriage.

Three mares and a stud were surrendered. Sprinkle said the stud was underweight because he was too focused on mating to eat.

She told News 13 there was always food and water available for all the animals on their property.

A veterinarian who examined them in early April scored their body conditions on a scale of 1 to 9; all four mini horses scored a one or two. All had lice, hoof rot and sand in their stomachs.

“That tells me that they were eating dirt, and they had nothing else to eat because if they’ve got food in front of them, they’re going to eat the food, they’re not going to eat the dirt,” Lovelace said.

The bobcat was acquired in Arkansas according to Lovelace and the Game Warden said it did not have proper paperwork to be in North Carolina. It was seized.

Regarding the rest of the animals, the Sprinkle’s had a variety of species, Lovelace said Sprinkle signed a consent to search document.

“I would say that they did their protocols wrong, and they should have let me explain to them on these situations of the animals and I tried and they just ignored me,” Sprinkle said. Sprinkle said the experience caused her and her son trauma.

“They said if you do not sign these papers then we’re going to have you under arrest, we’re going to seize all your animals, all 180 of your animals and they’re going to call DSS to have our son taken away,” Sprinkle said. “That was a threat that they gave me.” Lovelace and multiple Polk County deputies told News 13 that Sprinkle’s perception of a threat was not true.

“Never talked to her about DSS, that was never brought up there at all,” Lovelace said. “I’m not sure where that came from. We did tell her that it would be an option since we had a search warrant that we could take everything if we chose to do so,” Lovelace said. Lovelace said Sprinkle signed away ownership of the four mini horses and several other animals.

“They just kind of stole them pretty much,” Sprinkle said.

Lovelace said free vet care and feed were offered for the remainder of the Sprinkle’s animals; she said that offer was declined.

The four mini horses, now named Opal, Griffin, Butterscotch and Quinn are recovering at a local rescue.

All have put on at least 16 pounds.

“They’re looking better,” Lovelace said. “It’s going to take a long time because they were so emaciated.”

Sprinkle told News 13 their next court date is May 21 and she will be fighting for her animals back even though Animal Control said she willingly signed ownership away.

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