The Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre at Rojales was last week involved in a major joint operation to rescue a group of severely malnourished horses and donkeys from a Granada breeding yard.
At least one foal was found dead at the property, and other animals were allegedly moved before authorities could act.
Police were alerted to the case by Malaga-based donkey rescue charity El Refugio del Burrito, which teamed up with the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre to save the animals left behind.
At least four donkeys were taken into custody on Friday (December 19) and El Refugio del Burrito then paid to truck four horses from Granada to Rojales.
“They can’t just take the donkeys and leave the horses – every animal has to be removed if there’s a court order,” Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre co-founder Sue Weeding said.
“Basically, if we didn’t take these horses, all of these animals would be left there to suffer because the courts can’t hand them over to places that aren’t registered charities and there just aren’t that many registered charities around that take horses.”
The Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre will now permanently care for the rescued stallion and three mares – all of which were all later found to be pregnant and will likely give birth early next year.
“You wouldn’t even know they’re in foal, they’re so thin,” Sue said.
“It was a breeding yard and because of the crisis the owner couldn’t sell them. Apparently at one stage those mares would have gone for as much as $35,000. This guy had obviously just stopped feeding them.”
It is understood police are pushing for prosecution.
The horrific case came as the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre was also called to save a pony closer to home, after he was found abandoned near the Callosa de Segura football stadium.
“He is full of worms and has a big scar on his head but he’s eating well,” Sue said.
She said the influx of cases highlights the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre’s increasingly important role in animal welfare cases, and urged Alicante residents to support the centre’s network of eight charity shops.
All money raised in the shops goes towards the feeding and care of the more than 80 horses, ponies and donkeys that live at the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre.
The centre next opens to the public on Sunday, January 4. Entrance is free with horse tours beginning from 2pm. EHCRC is located just outside Rojales at Partido Lo Garriga 59. See www.easyhorsecare.net. Or call 652 021 980
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