Pair of neglected horses seized by sheriff’s office

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A neglected pair of horses in need of medical attention were removed from a private residence between Kalaloch Ridge and Clearwater Road recently and taken to Center Valley Animal Rescue by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Deputy Erik Allen, the department’s Animal Control Officer, the animals’ owner had died about two years ago and his sister, who lived in a different state, had inherited the property. She was unable to care for the animals.

“She does not come up here at all,” Allen said.

Deputies working in the area had been checking on the horses, Allen said, and a neighbor had been making sure they had food, though recently water service to the property had quit working and both animals were having hoof-related health problems.

“West end deputies were keeping eye on them and noticed they started getting bad hooves,” he explained.

Allen said one of the pair had hooves that were about 6 inches long and growing upward about another inch.

“That one could hardly walk,” he said.

The other horse, though not doing quite as badly, had hooves that were cracked and obviously causing it great pain.

Both horses are more than 20 years old, Allen said.

The animals were removed from the property Sept. 24.

Ultimately, Center Valley Animal Rescue hopes to rehabilitate the horses and see them adopted.

“It is very satisfying,” Allen said. “Now the horses will be able to get out to a good home and live out the rest of their lives.”