Volunteers help starving horses
SOUTHWEST RANCHES, Fla. — Seven horses left to fend for themselves in a small bare paddock in Southwest Ranches are finally getting some food.
After Local 10 reported on the condition of the farm animals, viewers called, e-mailed and even stopped by to see if they could help the hungry horses.
“That’s a shame to let them starve like that,” said Robin Varone, a South Florida horse lover who drove down from West Palm Beach after seeing the report.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the matter, but that doesn’t mean the horses are being unattended to.
“In order to be able to get the information we need to make decisions about whether to confiscate the horses or not, we need a little time to conduct an investigation,” said Sherry Schlueter with BSO’s animal abuse and neglect unit. “In the meantime, the horses are not left without food or water. They are being provided that.”
Schlueter told Local 10’s Todd Tongen that a horse veterinarian has also been called to conduct a thorough examination.
Meanwhile, Plantation resident Rhoda Smith stopped by a neighbor’s farm to see if she could help.
“I can’t stand to see them be mistreated, not being fed like that, so I just wanted to find out if I could help in any way,” said Smith.
Schlueter said the best way to help the animals is to donate money to the fund for abused animals, a not-for-profit organization she founded that is paying for the care of the horses.
“Well-intentioned citizens who might want to go out and provide feed or grain or things like that to the horses may actually do more harm than good by feeding an over-rich diet or feeding the horses something they’re not accustomed to eating,” said Schlueter.
To make a donation, call the BSO animal abuse hotline at 954-321-4239 or e-mail Schlueter at sherry_schlueter@sheriff.org.
Source: Local 10 news