ERICA KATERINA SAVINO, veterinary technician, accused of starving and neglecting her six horses

- Florida, USA -

Back in January 2025, an anonymous tip alerted Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control to the concerning conditions of many horses at a residence on 77^th Place North in Loxahatchee.

According to the affidavit, “ACC has left several notices and citations for the owner to comply” but no one has responded to their calls or notices.

Finally, on the early afternoon of Tuesday, August 5, 2025, deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to the residence and made contact with 20-year-old ERICA KATERINA SAVINO (pictured).

The deputies informed SAVINO they were investigating a complaint and asked her whether they could check on the animals’ condition.

SAVINO confirmed that she had legal custody of the horses and stated that she is a veterinary technician at a horse clinic. She then walked the deputies to the back of the residence where they found six horses.

The affidavit identified them as:

Blaoo, a 10-year-old blue Roan Gelding

Calhan, a 23-year-old Bay Gelding

Godiva, a 7-year-old black mare

Paisley, a 6-year-old Bay mare

Scooby, an 11-year-old Bay Gelding

Trixie, a 5-year-old Palomino mare

Deputies reported that the horses were kept in pens covered in manure, with three of them lacking proper shelter. The yard intended for the horses to roam was overgrown, and the poor souls were confined without access to it. Moreover, all six horses were severely underweight with little to no fat and matted or knotted manes.

SAVINO told deputies the horses were fed twice daily with hay only and admitted that they had recently lost weight “due to issues with a previous hay supplier providing poor-quality hay.”

She went on to say that the water for the horses was changed the day before, but deputies reported that the buckets were either empty or filthy with algae.

As per the affidavit, SAVINO acknowledged that Godiva, the thinnest of the horses, had several medical issues, including mastitis, which had been treated with antibiotics. SAVINO, stated that Godiva is “aggressive toward her and she is unable to handle him.” Godiva was being kept in a pen not accessible to humans.

SAVINO went on to tell deputies that Blaoo has a neurological condition from exposure to possums.

Deputies found Calhan, the oldest horse, with a deteriorating makeshift cast on his front leg. “The cast was very dirty and falling apart”, reported deputies.

SAVINO told deputies that she provides all the medical care for her horses and explained that “some of the horses were feral and difficult to handle”, stated the affidavit.

Although she told deputies that she often brought medications home from her job to treat the horses, deputies said she “does not have any formal veterinary records for treatments.”

SAVINO was arrested and charged with six counts of aggravated animal cruelty, six counts of animal cruelty, and six counts of confinement of animals, all felonies

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Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from the affidavit obtained through public search. Please note that details may be removed or new information added should updates become available.

In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

SAVINO’s mugshot shared from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

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