Moffat County Seizes 90 Bison from 83-Year-Old Rancher Amid Animal Neglect Charges

How many animals does it take to fill a county’s worth of pasture before you need a warrant, a veterinary team, and an 83-year-old rancher facing criminal charges?

Approximately 90 bison. One mule. Two dead bison. Two more bison put down.

That’s the inventory from a Saturday seizure at Lay Valley Bison Ranch in Moffat County. The Moffat County Sheriff’s Office didn’t just knock on the door; they coordinated with the Colorado Bureau of Animal Protection and the Colorado State Veterinary Office to pull the trigger on an animal neglect case that has been brewing for a month.

The target was Daniel Martin, the ranch owner. He’s 83 years old. He’s expected to face multiple misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals.

Let’s look at the timeline. For the past month, the Sheriff’s Office worked with Martin to “remediate ongoing concerns regarding the care and condition of the animals.” That’s bureaucratic speak for: we told you the animals were suffering, and you didn’t fix it fast enough. So, investigators decided further action was necessary.

The result was a significant culling of the herd itself. During the operation, two bison died from natural causes or stress. Two others were humanely euthanized because they were suffering too much to wait. And that’s before you even get to the mule.

One mule was found suffering to such an extent that euthanasia was necessary. The Sheriff’s Office carried it out. So, you’re left with roughly 90 bison and one mule now in limbo, being evaluated by veterinary professionals and partnering agencies.

This isn’t just a story about big cows in a field. It’s about the logistical weight of moving nearly 100 large animals and the financial and legal fallout for a single operator. Martin isn’t just losing his herd temporarily; he’s facing criminal records. The seized animals are being cared for, but who pays the vet bills while the court process drags on? The source material doesn’t say, but in animal neglect cases, that cost often falls on the county or the owner if he’s found guilty.

The operation highlights the friction between private property rights and public welfare oversight. The Sheriff’s Office thanked the Bureau of Animal Protection and the State Veterinary Office for their cooperation. They’re all still there, watching, waiting for the charges to stick.

For locals in Craig and the surrounding Moffat County area, this is a tangible reminder of how quickly a ranch can go from productive asset to legal battleground. The physical presence of 90 bison is massive. The legal presence of misdemeanor cruelty charges is heavier.

Martin is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But the animals are already counted, weighed, and in many cases, dead. The seizure is complete. The investigation is ongoing. The question now is whether the cost of keeping those 90 bison alive while the court decides Martin’s fate outweighs the value of the herd itself.

The bottom line: The Sheriff’s Office got the animals. Martin gets the charges. And the community gets a front-row seat to the slow, expensive process of animal justice.