Dead, starving horses found at Oklahoma City horse park, police say

OKLAHOMA -- A woman has been arrested after one dead, and several starving horses were found Monday at a metro horse park, police said. An Oklahoma City animal welfare officer called police to the Wallace Horse Park in the 1400 block of South Western Avenue after finding one horse dead and several others starving.

According to officers, the horses' ribs showed after their winter blankets were removed. A veterinarian euthanized a horse, named Roy, that was unable to stand, and two other horses.

The horses' owner, Rhonda Leigh Haynie, 47, was arrested on five complaints of animal cruelty. Animal welfare officers said they had been investigating Haynie for neglect for several months.

“It’s hard to watch because they don’t have a choice,” said Trace Lyons with OKC Animal Welfare. “If you keep them captive they depend on you to take care of them and in this case it didn’t happen.”

 

 

Two of the horses will be released to Blaze Equine Rescue, the two others will remain in the custody of Animal Welfare pending the results of an investigation.

Officials have sent the euthanized horse to the University of Oklahoma where a necropsy will be performed to show what health ailments it suffered from prior to its death.

(KOCO - April 3, 2013)