ROLLETTE COUNTY, N.D. (AP) — Sheriff’s officials say 700 animals have been seized in North Dakota following a complaint about neglect in Rolette County. Acting on an anonymous tip, sheriff’s deputies with assistance from the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association and the North Dakota State Veterinarian’s Office, went to a property in Rolette County armed with a search warrant on June 1.
In a Facebook post, the sheriff’s office says deputies found dead cattle and and an insufficient amount of feed for hundreds of other animals. The conditions of about 500 head of cattle were documented and instructions given to their owner on their well-being.
Rolette County deputies continued to monitor the herd and returned on June 23 and determined the livestock, as well as 200 head of cattle owned by the same person in other counties, needed to be seized. With a court order for owners Steven Nickelson and Tanner and Cameron Millang, deputies say Nickelson surrendered all livestock.
The Rolette County Sheriffs Office contracted third party individuals to care, feed, monitor the animals which were then sold. According to Sheriff Nathan Gustafson, money raised from the auction covers the county’s costs for caring for the animals and goes toward the owners’ debt. Anything left after that would go back to the original owner.
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