Waldoboro police say they have a person of interest in a possible animal abuse case involving seven dead horses.

Waldoboro Police Chief Bill Labombarde says the person is the owner of the horses, which have all died in the last several months -- three in the last week.

"There was one horse deceased in a stall and then there was another one that was near death and needed to be put down immediately," Labombarde says. "And then the third horse was brought to the large animal facility at the veterinarian office and that animal was ultimately put down on Friday."

Labombarde says that investigators are awaiting the results of an animal autopsy before deciding whether to file charges. That could take several weeks.

"We're not real close to making an arrest," Labombarde says. "We may find out there was something going on with the animal and we can't make an arrest -- they may have been sick we don't know, and so that's what we're waiting for."

Labombarde said eight other horses owned by the person are at a shelter and are being put up for adoption.