SILVERTON, Ore. (AP) — Marion County sheriff’s deputies have seized two malnourished horses that had been kept in a 15-by-40-foot pen near Silverton, Ore., east of Salem.
Mud in the pen was a foot deep and the horses had no shelter. Deputies and animal rescue workers say the animals are also suffering from skin ailments, muscle loss and hoof rot.
A 6-year-old mare named Robi is reportedly 300 pounds underweight while a 3-year-old named Cali is an estimated 150 pounds too thin.
The property owner called the sheriff’s office, saying he rented the space to the horses’ owner but she failed to care for them. He told deputies he tried to feed the horses and tried to reach the owner, but she blocked his calls. A certified letter to her was returned unclaimed.
The horses have been taken to Lighthouse Farm Animal Sanctuary near Scio, Ore.
