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Petting Zoo Owner Fighting To Get Back Confiscated Animals

(CBS) -- A petting zoo owner is trying to keep Kane County from taking ownership of dozens of her farm animals, after they were seized due to evidence of neglect.

WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports Kane County Animal Control confiscated more than 80 of Stacy Fiebelkorn's animals last week, including more than 30 horses. She has been charged with violation of owner's duties, and cruelty to animals.

Petting Zoo Owner Fighting To Get Back Confiscated Animals

Officials said they found a dozen of her farm animals dead at a farm in Hampshire where she was renting space. A dead donkey and dead goat were found frozen to a tractor. Several other animals were badly in need of food and water.

Fiebelkorn's lawyer has asked a judge to allow her to keep the horses, some goats, an alpaca, and a llama; and she'd be willing to give up some other goats, along with chickens, rabbits, and other animals.

Kane County Animal Control Director Robert Sauceda said the county wants to take away all the animals, alleging she neglected them over the harsh winter.

He testified several goats found in the barn did not belong to Fiebelkorn, and their stall had no water and was filled with feces.

Sauceda said the owner of those animals was only given a violation notice, because he acted quickly to correct the problem.

It also was revealed in court this week that Fiebelkorn had 800 pounds of hay delivered to the barn earlier this month, but most of it was moldy when animal control officials visited.

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