70-year-old woman faces second charge after horses escape her property

Several weeks ago, Charlotte Bright, 70, was charged with mischief after her horses escaped her property.

Neighbours and provincial police say it has been an ongoing issue for years.

Const. Shannon Cork with the Napanee Ontario Provincial Police says Bright has now been charged a second time.

“She’s been charged with a breach of not complying with the conditions of that initial mischief charge, there are many dynamics at play so the breach is in relation to a whole bunch of things with regard to property and the mischief and what she was able to follow through on.”

Bright says her horses have escaped her property but it’s not all her doing.

“When you have locked gates that are taken off hinges and horses that are let out of locked stalls in barns, it’s pretty hard to keep them in.”

Bright lives alone and works full-time. She says it’s impossible to monitor her 116 acres, 24 hours a day.

“For a long time, the horses weren’t getting out and then we got a new neighbour, he went out on his four-wheeler through my field out through a gate and left the gate open.”

Bright says Tyendinaga Township has taken possession of a dozen horses and 21 remain on her property for now.

As a result of the second charge, Bright says she’s been told all her horses have to be removed from her property by June 12.