WELD COUNTY — The 23 horses seized Sept. 4 from a Weld County man who threatened to have them shot now belong to the state of Colorado, a Weld County judge ruled Friday afternoon.
District Judge Daniel Maus ruled that the horses seized from Trenton Parker are now legally in the possession and ownership of Colorado Agriculture Commissioner John Stulp, according to Weld County Sheriff John Cooke.
On Sept. 4, hours after Stulp obtained a restraining order allowing him to seize the horses, 28 people, including two state veterinarians, Weld County deputies and representatives of the state Brand Inspector’s office, went to the 45-acre ranch near Fort Lupton and removed the horses, which had been under Parker’s care.
Prior to the seizure, Parker, 64, made a threat to kill the horses, distributing a flier announcing a “public execution” of the horses to protest Weld County zoning codes.
