CINCINNATI — Eighteen horses in "heartbreaking condition" were seized from a local equestrian facility last week, Cincinnati Animal CARE said.
The shelter said its agents responded to multiple complaints requesting they check conditions at a local facility. When they arrived, they said they found "nearly two dozen horses in distress." Those horses were taken and put into foster care with local equine professionals.
"These animals arrived in heartbreaking condition — severely underweight, and starved not just for nutrition, but also for safety and compassion," Cincinnati Animal CARE said in a release. "Several were in need of immediate medical attention, and need for longer-term medical care has been identified by multiple veterinarians who have examined the horses over the past few days."
Cincinnati Animal CARE said they were alerted that two other horses had been removed from the facility and surrendered to a rescue before their arrival. Of the two surrendered, one of the horses collapsed upon arrival at the rescue and had to be euthanized.
The shelter said there are currently no horses in the facility from which the animals were seized and an investigation into the facility is ongoing.
Cincinnati Animal CARE also started a fundraiser to get the horses the medical attention needed. According to their Facebook post, they've raised more than $12,000 of their $25,000 goal to get the horses feed, medication and veterinary care.
