LISBON — Columbiana County Sheriff Brian McLaughlin is asking for the public’s help for the investigation into four dead horses found in stalls at the Pure Gold stables, 3325 state Route 45, Salem on Oct. 26.

In a press release issued Tuesday, he said if anyone has information on this case, they should please contact the sheriff’s office detective bureau at 330-424-7255. Callers are asked to leave a message and detectives will get back to them if the information left is pertinent to the case.

“The Sheriff’s Office takes animal abuse cases seriously. We have conducted interviews, search warrants and research on this case. We collected remains of the four horses from the property and are currently collaborating with a forensic doctor specializing in animal cases to conduct toxicology and nutritional testing on the remains. We will continue to do interviews and collect other evidence in this case. The testing will take an extended period of time to receive those results. Once those forensic results are received, we will present all the evidence collected to the Columbiana County Prosecutor’s Office,” the press release said.

McLaughlin also thanked all who have assisted with the case, including multiple veterinarians, Youngstown Animal Charity, the Columbiana County Humane Society and the county Prosecutor’s Office.

When contacted in person, he said the investigation is being handled by the sheriff’s office, not the Humane Society. County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino commented that the humane society does not have an appointed humane agent.

McLaughlin said the last of the live horses left last week, with owners coming to get them. He said no live animals are on the property.

A Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dispatched at 5:27 p.m. Oct. 26 to the Pure Gold property regarding animal abuse. When he arrived, he was told that four horse skeletons were observed in a barn.

The four horses were believed to have been locked in the barn and starved to death, according to the report, with evidence that they were chewing on the wood of the stalls. Seven other horses on the property were reported in poor health. The report was sent to the Columbiana County Humane Society and the county Prosecutor’s Office.