BUTLER, Ky. — When Pendleton County farmer and horse owner Larry Browning had his northern Kentucky farm raided last April, animal lovers flooded local newspapers in the area with words of outrage, wanting him persecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

But the removal of 14 emaciated horses and 49 horse carcasses from his farm by authorities that day resulted in a much lesser sentence. Browning reached a plea deal on Jan. 6, a week before the case was scheduled to go to trial. He was ordered to pay $7,500 and is free on probation and allowed to care for horses once more.

Animal Control Officer Scott Pracht was so outraged by the plea that he has quit his job, calling it the “worst case of animal abuse I’d ever seen.” On the contrary, the prosecutor calls the agreement a fair deal that allows the county to ensure Browning won’t become a repeat offender.

“Everyone, including the animal rights activists, said they did not want Larry Browning to go to jail,” Pendleton County Attorney Jeff Dean  said. “They just wanted to make sure Browning could not continue in the horse business. I felt this accomplished that goal, at least for the next 18 months. I intend to make Mr. Browning live up to his agreement.”

Browning was charged with 14 counts of cruelty to animals and 49 counts of failing to dispose of an animal carcass within 48 hours, first offense. The plea deal merged the charges into a single count of failing to dispose of a carcass, second offense.

According to Dean, Browning entered an Alford plea, acknowledging there was evidence to convict but not admitting guilt. He received 18 months’ probation and must repay the county $7,500 for the care of the horses removed from his farm. A lien against his farm is intended to ensure repayment.

Pracht, still worked up over the case, said the agreement doesn’t go far enough. “I felt that there was plenty enough evidence to get a conviction, and I was disappointed,” he said. “It was an unjust end to this case. It sends the wrong message to the public, that these kinds of things can happen and you can get away with it.

“He’s still allowed, for some unknown reason, to keep the five horses he still has. I spent more than a month on this investigating Brown. I feel I should have had my time in court to testify.”

Pracht started investigating Brown after receiving an anonymous tip about starving horses. He said the evidence he gathered included hundreds of photos, veterinarians’ reports on the horses’ health and scientific analysis of the hay and water on the farm.

According to veterinarian reports, most of the horses had Henneke body scores of between 1.5 and 3. Healthy horses have body scores of between 4 and 7. According to Pracht, the farm’s water sources were all contaminated with dead horses, there was no grass for the horses to eat and the quality of the hay was suitable for cattle, not horses.

Pracht worries that in time the conditions he saw on the farm, from horse skulls to malnourished livestock, will return. Browning faced similar accusations of poor conditions with his horses in 2011. An activist group, Animals’ Angels, claimed photographs showed extremely emaciated horses.

Browning’s attorney in this case, Donald Wells, said Browning was simply overwhelmed by caring for horses left on his farm by others amid last year’s harsh winter, and said Browning was victimized by the closure of many horse slaughter houses across the country. Wells said Browning intends to retire from the horse business and sell is 70-acre farm.

The emaciated horses that were removed from Browning’s farm have been placed in foster care and are thriving. “All it took was giving them hay, a proper water source and de-wormer,” Pracht said.