A woman who runs a horse rescue operation in Eustis is now facing several counts of animal cruelty after investigators said several horses were found severely malnourished at the Lake County-based rescue.

Angel King, 46, is charged with seven counts of animal cruelty — a count for each of the seven horses deputies seized from Kings Cove Horse Rescue last week. One investigator said it was the worst condition he has ever seen horses in.

"They were in such bad shape (that) the county veterinarian said they had to be taken immediately," said Sgt. Jim Vachon, with the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators said they've had to go out to King's rescue multiple times in the last year after getting anonymous tips about skinny horses. King was determined not to be at fault two previous times.

"In both instances, one of our investigators went out and determined they were a recently dropped off rescue horse and she did, in fact, have the materials to get them into good shape," Vachon said.

But after getting another anonymous tip last week, deputies said they visited the rescue. The county veterinarian told King she needed to do more to care for the horses. When they checked back two days later, deputies said the veterinarian saw no improvement.

"Nobody expected the horses' health to improve in two days, but something needed to be done — get the right kind of food, get the right kind of nutrition involved," Vachon said. "Basically, she had done nothing."

Investigators said King was properly taking care of other horses at her rescue someone was paying her to board. Those horses were returned to their owners.

The seven horses seized from King's rescue are now in foster care.

"These are large animals that need a very specific kind of care and a very specific kind of nutrition," Vachon said.

As of Tuesday night, King was still in custody in the Lake County Jail on a $35,000 bond — $5,000 for each of the horses investigators said she neglected.

Lake County Animal Services took in two horses from a property near King's rescue off Huff Road in Eustis in early July. That property's owner told deputies someone placed the two horses on her property. One of those horses later died at a foster rescue and the other is still recovering. 

Investigators said they can't prove there's any connection to King's rescue at this time.


Seven horses that were found severely malnourished at a Eustis rescue have been placed into foster care. (Lake County Sheriff's Office)