5 horses were starving to death in NJ until group spurred police action

🐴 Disturbing photos show starving horses in Winslow

🐴 They've been moved to a farm to receive proper care

🐴 The property owner has been charged with animal cruelty

WINSLOW — A woman who had been on the radar of animal welfare advocates for some time has been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty after starving horses were found on her property.

Police and Winslow Township Animal Control members with a warrant searched the Norcross Road property on Oct. 4. They found five horses, severely emaciated and dehydrated, on the land owned by 56-year-old Dana Grykin.

The animals were kept in a small stable with limited room to graze and feed, officials said.

The deteriorating condition of the horses had been documented by the nonprofit Companion Animal Advocates NJ, which shared photos of the emaciated horses on the group's Facebook page on Sept. 17.

The group, which called on supporters to pressure law enforcement into taking action, said it took weeks for the horses to be removed because municipal officials first tried to work with Grykin to resolve the problem. But once local agricultural authorities got involved, "it went quick."

"We are thankful to the [Camden] County Prosecutor's Office for hearing the concerns and taking action," the organization said in an email.

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The horses were removed from the property and taken to farm where they will be properly cared for with plenty of fresh food and water, and room to run and graze.

Grykin was charged with five counts of fourth-degree animal cruelty, and owners failure to properly care for animals.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ryan Durham of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 856-225-5127.

New Jersey 101.5 did not know Friday whether Grykin had an attorney who could speak on her behalf.

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