When the ARL got an urgent call from the Dallas County Sheriff’s office to assist with the removal of 46 horses— many injured and thin, with little to no food or water—our rescue team quickly prepared for our largest horse rescue operation in years.
We didn’t have any time to lose. For the next 13 hours, our team worked to load each horse onto our trailers and move them to safety at our Second Chance Ranch—making trip after trip, back and forth, until every last horse was rescued.
Back at the ARL, the horses were finally safe, with clean enclosures, food and water, and receiving much-needed medical care under the supervision of equine veterinarians.
Two of the horses with the most severe conditions— one with a gaping, infected neck wound and another suffering from severe emaciation—were taken to an equine vet hospital for immediate care.
Rojo, the severely wounded horse, spent nearly 2 weeks there before he was stable enough for our team to take over his care. Sadly, the emaciated horse, Bluey, had suffered such severe, long-term neglect that he was unable to bounce back, even with round-the-clock veterinary care. When it became clear that he simply could not fight anymore, we made the heartbreaking decision to humanely help end his suffering.
For the survivors, there is a long road ahead, with the vast majority showing genetic deformities caused by poor breeding practices. But there is hope.
Working with equine vets and farriers, we have already started helping correct the abnormalities that we can so these horses can live the best lives possible. Considering their medical needs, and the fact that many are pregnant, we are expecting them to be in our care for weeks if not months.
You are the reason that we were able to answer the call to help these horses. And you are the reason they are now receiving the compassionate care they have always deserved—and that they can look forward to futures full of contentment and love.
There are so many ways to make a difference for animals of all species in our community. To learn more, please contact Lora Rogers at legacy@arl-iowa.org.