SD ranchers guilty of animal mistreatment

WLJ Jul. 25, 2025 1 minute read 1 comments

SD ranchers guilty of animal mistreatment

Two South Dakota ranchers were sentenced to jail after being convicted of mistreating cattle and attempting to sell animals they did not own, according to South Dakota News Watch.

Leland Pauly and Lynda Frost were taken directly from the courtroom to begin serving 15-day jail terms following their conviction on livestock-related fraud and neglect charges in South Dakota and Nebraska. The case began when rancher Dan Schilling of Wessington, SD, discovered his cattle, entrusted to Pauly and Frost, in poor condition and filed a complaint in March 2024. Prosecutors linked the mistreatment to financial struggles, including the pair’s bankruptcy.

Bennett County State’s Attorney Sarah E. Harris said the jail time should serve as a warning to others who mistreat animals or commit fraud.

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1 Comment

Lynda
February 11, 2026
Get both sides,I pled No Contest to charges . I knew I would not get a fair trial and this proved it. And these Was Share Cows not under contract and they was purchased as smooth mouth broken cows in 21&22. The Cows belong to Dan Schilling 70% of the calves belong to Leland Pauly. These cows was fed BMR Silage and BMR bales, which Dan Schilling said was equivalent to Corn when he sold Leland 3 years ago.alalfa, grass and milo . The cow that died had internal issues according to Rocky Smith dmv, when he pegged checked her she needed to go to the salebarn. I had dr’d her all summer long and should have gone before. But she belonged to Dan Schilling I can not sell her. She is not mine to sell.The calves was fed same, we took our 70% to Ogalala his 30 % was sold in Martin , which we pled no contest there as well, at the advice of our Lawyer Greg Beel. The calves weighed less because first year they calved in March and April, second year April, May and June, that year May and June. He fed the open cows until July and August for free with no compensation, he never paid a dime for feed and never replaced the cow w one w calf. He got paid for the corn bales with cheap feed at 1.50 a day and the cows for free. Sandy Stephen has proof the cows was cull cows. But No one cared that and these cows had come through 2 weeks of extreme cold weather, and are basically a cull cow. I was advised by my lawyer not to talk because it could be used against me. I am innocent would have to prove it. And people would find me guilty regardless
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