Hopkins County will be reimbursed for all county expenses for the care and management of hundreds of head of malnourished cattle seized by the SPCA of Texas and the Hopkins County Sheriff’s office. Hopkins County Attorney Dusty Rabe said the check received by the county Monday for the auction cattle was for $257,667.45 which will cover the county expense of $254,721. SPCA will receive the remainder and will be owed an additional $12,000 which will be recovered from George Lawrence Bergin of Sulphur Springs, who had owned the near 600 head of cattle seized.
The cattle were seized December 4-6, 2017 as law enforcement removed the cattle from six different properties encompassing an estimated 2700 acres of barren pasture land, according to the SPCA. The cattle were taken to an undisclosed place where they were fed and received veterinarian care until they were sold last Wednesday. Bergin was charged with a State Jail Felony, Cruelty to Livestock-Fail to Provide.
