A 17-year-old youth is behind bars in Fayette County, Georgia, after his arrest for the arrow attack on an eight-year-old horse, Misty.
Jeremy Ryan Richardson will appear in court tomorrow, during which he is expected to seek bail.
The Padovano family were today celebrating the breakthrough in the case, which left their part-Arabian part-Morgan horse with serious injuries.
Misty underwent four hours of surgery to have three hunting arrows removed, one of which had smashed part of her sinuses and another which pierced bone on her shoulder. One arrow went right through her neck.
"We are overjoyed," Nancy Padovano said of the arrest, as friends gathered at their Brooks home following news of the arrest.
"It is cause for a big celebration. I have a houseful of company," she told Horsetalk.
"I think justice will be served."
Nancy said Richardson was living with a neighbour around the corner. She had not personally met him but had seen him drive by many times in a white pickup truck.
She understood the arrest was made this morning (US time), and that the weapon used was a 70-pound compound bow.
"He was questioned yesterday," she said. "He walked in under his own power yesterday with his parents. They released him, but they must have found some other evidence because he was [this morning] taken into custody."
Richardson has been charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal, which is an felony offence.
He also faces 12 charges alleging hunting violations over his shooting of deer in the area. These include failing to record deer harvests over incidents in which he allegedly unlawfully killed deer and failed to report them to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
All wildlife charges are misdemeanors.
Meanwhile, Misty continues to do well following the weekend attack.
"She is doing remarkably well today," Nancy says. She is able to eat food but appears to still have trouble drinking.
"She was out today in a little pasture. She is perhaps a little less trusting of us, but I'll work on that. She's my pet!"
The Padovanos are in daily contact with the veterinarian who operated to remove the hunting arrows, and he will return soon to check her over.
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