Clearwater continues to hold seized livestock

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

April 17, 1997

By Devlyn Brooks

Staff Writer

More than 200 sheep and cattle seized from a Clearwater County farm north of Bagley in late March are still being held in "sort of protective custody," according to Clearwater County Undersheriff Lyle Colligan.

The animals -- 233 sheep and 13 cattle -- were seized by the sheriff's office March 26 after a complaint of mistreatment was reportedly substantiated by an officer's visit to the farm.

"It's been troublesome because we're really not in the animal husbandry business," Colligan said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "But in order to protect the livestock we'll do what we have to do."

He said there has been more than one party interested in purchasing the animals, but under law the owner has an opportunity to maintain ownership of the livestock. The owner still has time to provide proof he could care for the animals, and in that event would have the animals returned.

"However, if we get to the point where the feed costs are superseding the value of the animals, we'll sell them," he said.

Misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals and malnourishment of animals and a gross misdemeanor charge of giving false information to a peace office are still pending against the owner, Colligan said.

The owner of the farm, Albert Crosby, disputes ownership of the animals.

After the seizure, the animals were taken to two rural Bagley farms to be cared for, and since, they have all been moved to one farm until there is an end to the situation.