Four horses neglected, seized from breeder Sacramento, CA (US) Incident Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 County: Sacramento Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Abuser names unreleased

Case ID: 8902 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: horse View more cases in CA (US) Login to Watch this Case

Sacramento County animal control officers confiscated four horses from a private breeder in early June in what authorities described as a startling case of animal cruelty that could result in punishment for the owner.

A 26-year-old Arabian mare, her 5-week-old filly, a yearling about 11 months old and a 20-year-old stallion will be rehabilitated at the Grace Foundation in El Dorado Hills after they were severely underfed and neglected, said Chris Andis, spokeswoman for the Sacramento County Animal Care and Regulation Department.

The mare was about 400 pounds under her normal body weight of about 1,200 pounds, and her belly was full of sand from foraging on the ground for food, said Beth DeCaprio, the Grace Foundation's executive director. The mare and the stallion had been bred as recently as two weeks ago, even though the mare was still nursing the 5-week-old foal, DeCaprio said.

The mare is so emaciated that it can no longer lie down, she said.

"It's the equivalent of breeding an 80 year-old woman," DeCaprio said. "There is no one in the profession who would ever recommend you breeding a horse that old. It's just disgusting."

Female horses are typically not bred after their 12th birthday, Andis said.

The name of the woman who owns the horses has not been released. The owner reportedly wanted to continue the horses' bloodline.

A concerned citizen notified animal control officials of the alleged abuse at the private boarding facility on Bradshaw Road, DeCaprio said.

The mare likely will live out her days at the Grace Foundation, DeCaprio said.

Anyone wanting to check on the rescued horses can go to www.thegracefoundation.com.

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References

Sacramento Bee - June 13, 2006

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