Nashville horse-drawn carriage abuse case dismissed after witness fails to appear in court

Natalie Neysa Alund
The Tennessean
The company that owns this horse was cited for working an underweight animal and failure to provide veterinary care.

A Davidson County judge on Wednesday dismissed an animal abuse-related case against the owner of a horse-drawn carriage company after the key witness failed to appear in court.

General Sessions Environmental Court Judge tossed out two citations filed against American Melody Carriage owner Melody Robinson when she learned the person who reported seeing a thin horse working on Lower Broadway this summer wasn't present.

More:Viral photo of thin Nashville carriage horse leads to animal abuse charges

"However, animal control officers were prepared to testify had the case moved forward," Metro Nashville Department of Law Director Jon Cooper said Thursday.

Metro Animal Care and Control cited Robinson July 19 after seeing a photo that went viral online. It pictured the thin horse at the corner of Broadway and Second Avenue that was taken two days earlier by Preshias Harris of Goodlettesville, Tenn.

After reviewing the photo, officers met Robinson downtown in a carriage lot and issued two citations: one for overworking an underweight animal and the other for failure to provide vet care. A second horse was underweight, authorities said, and had an abscess on its foot that needed treatment.

Cooper said the Metro Public Health Department supported the judge's dismissal since Robinson has "made significant progress in bringing her horse up to a healthy weight and providing adequate care, which is supported by a statement from the state veterinarian."

"Ultimately, Metro’s attorneys handling the case, Emily Lamb and Quan Poole, were prepared to move forward with the case based upon the previous admissions by the defendant to Metro Animal Care," said Brian Todd, heath department spokesman.

Prior to the case begin thrown out, Robinson's attorney, Richard Tennant, had filed a motion to dismiss the charges. He declined comment Thursday.

Anyone who see a horse or animal that needs immediate attention should call at 615-862-8600 and ask to be connected to animal control.

Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at 615-426-9988 and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.