NORTHRIDGE : Woman Ordered to Give Up Animals

A 61-year-old Northridge woman has been ordered to give up ownership of two burros and two mustangs after being convicted of cruelty to animals, Los Angeles City Atty. James K. Hahn said Tuesday.

The woman, Josephine S. Clemens, was also forbidden to have any other animals as a condition of a sentence of two years probation ordered Monday by Hollywood Municipal Judge Andrew Kauffman after she pleaded no contest to one count of cruelty to animals, Hahn said.

Officials said Clemens’ burros and mustangs, which she had acquired from the federal Bureau of Land Management about 1990 during one of the agency’s annual sales of wild horses, were mistreated and neglected.

“There was a severe fly infestation problem due to accumulations of manure on the property,” Hahn said.

“Investigators also found that the animals had not been given adequate food, water or medical care for a long period of time.”

The animals were impounded by city animal regulation officers in August, and two are awaiting adoption at the West Valley Animal Care and Control Center, officials said.

One of the mustangs is being treated at the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center in Los Olivos.