The two men from the small South Dakota town of Cavour that were indicted on felony animal cruelty charges have been formally charged.

Justin Murray and Dennis Kerney allegedly used wooden clubs to hit an Appaloosa horse on the head and back why they attempted to groom him. The horse did suffer injuries to its leg and face.

Thirty-five-year old Murray and 67-year old Kerney are the first South Dakotans to be charged under the state's felony animal cruelty statute. The law was enacted during the 2014 South Dakota legislative session, with South Dakota being the last state in the nation to enact such a law.

 

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