The two horses — one near death with large open sores on its flanks — were discovered Sunday after police received a tip from an anonymous caller.
"There is no excuse for this," said Laurie Waggoner, an official with the South Florida Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is now caring for the horses at its Homestead ranch. "To lock an animal in a stall and not come back — that is not something a normal, sane person would do."
The horses were found in 8-by-10-foot enclosures that were fashioned from wooden pallets that were nailed shut, said Waggoner. She said the horses were so hungry that they were eating the wood of their enclosures and their own feces to survive.
Michael Wright, a spokesman for the Miami Gardens police, said a criminal investigation into the animals' condition continues. No one was at the site, and no arrests have been made, he said Monday.
News of the horses' condition drew a sharp reaction from South Florida animal welfare advocates.
"This is devastating to us," said Victor Cutino, whose Peaceful Ridge Rescue in Davie this year has taken in about 25 horses either neglected or unwanted. "It just makes you want to find owners and shake them: 'Why? Why? How can you do this?' It bothers us and hurts us a lot."
Sherry Schlueter, executive director of Fort Lauderdale's South Florida Wildlife Center, called the abandonment of animals "a cowardly, inexcusable thing to do, especially when there are shelters where people can take these animals."
The faltering economy and the cost of feeding a horse — about $2,500 a year, according to some estimates — have been cited in recent animal cruelty cases.
"I have heard of cases where people take their horses to a horse show, tie it to a trailer and leave," said Schlueter. "That's quite sad. But it's still abandonment, and it's wrong."
The horse in the most critical condition is a red and white paint mare, said Waggoner. Her rescuers named her Susie.
Waggoner said Susie may have fallen inside the enclosure and developed or exacerbated her wounds during a struggle to regain her feet.
The second horse, being called Justice, is a palomino gelding, also very underweight, with its spine and hip bones protruding through its skin. Unlike Susie, Justice has some muscle tone, said Waggoner.
Waggoner said the horses are likely to survive. She said she has cleaned Susie's sores, and has started both horses on small portions of feed three times a day. A veterinarian was to visit the animals Monday.
"I have seen a lot of abuse cases over the years, but when I see animals this skinny, it is hard to stomach," said Waggoner. "They would not have lasted much longer."
(Orlando Sentinel - July 8, 2013)
