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GREAT FALLS- The Cascade County Attorney is considering whether to press charges against the owners involved in an alleged case of animal abuse.

Five horses at a Great Falls stable were allegedly left without food for long periods of time, to the point that they began chewing wood off a barn, according to the stable manager.

Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards said the horses are now being cared for, and he believes there's probable cause to charge one owner, Randi Lamont, with animal cruelty.

"The conditions were deplorable and in my opinion screamed abuse," Edwards said. "But, it's in the County Attorney's hands now. We're just waiting to see if they want to proceed with charges or not."

Randi Lamont declined to comment on the possibility of charges, but said she plans to move the horses to the Missoula area.

In 2010, Lamont's father, Michael Old Turtle, was charged with three counts of animal cruelty, reportedly for some of the same animals as involved in this week's case.