CHICORA — State police have filed three dozen charges of animal cruelty against the owner of six horses that were removed from his farm in Fairview Township last month.

Brian S. Arendosh, 48, faces thousands of dollars in potential fines if convicted on the summary charges. He could get jail time, too.

Trooper Shawn King said the 36 counts of animal cruelty filed Monday represent multiple violations for each of the horses.

“The violations are for no veterinarian care, health problems, lack of food and water, and inadequate access to clean and sanitary shelter,” he said.

The charges come nearly three weeks after Arendosh surrendered six of his horses to the Equine Angels Rescue group based in Cabot.

The organization’s owner, Pam Vivirito, said she went to Arendosh’s farm March 21 after the rescue group received numerous complaints about the conditions of the animals.

Arendosh agreed to surrender the six animals — two paint horses, two quarter horses and two thoroughbreds — to the group.

However, the owner laster claimed he was unduly pressured into giving up the horses out of fear that Vivirito would generate negative media coverage on the matter.

Arendosh in an interview last week with the Butler Eagle defended his care of the animals, saying they were properly housed, fed and watered.

Not so, King said Monday, after filing the animal cruelty citations against Arendosh at District Judge Lewis Stoughton’s office in Chicora.

“The six he surrendered were in bad shape,” the trooper said.