Bozeman animal abuse case should be moved, attorney says

BOZEMAN — Attorneys for a Bozeman horse arena owner accused of animal cruelty have asked that his trial be moved due to media and social network attention.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that defense attorneys for Dayle Kountz filed a motion in Gallatin County District Court, asking that Kountz’s 2017 trial be moved to Madison County. The state has not responded to the motion.

Kountz has pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges in connection to a footless horse and a comatose calf found on his property. Kountz says he got advice on how to treat the horse’s foot, injured in December 2014, but that it was too damaged and fell off, but prosecutors say he denied the animal veterinary care.