Community Corner

Animal Services Predicts Record Number of Horse Rescues in County

According to the county, 15 horses have been rescued since the fiscal year began in July.

The Department of Animal Services predicts that San Diego County could have a record number of horse rescues this year, according to County News Center.

Since the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, the DAS has rescued 15 horses, five more already than the agency rescued as a whole during the fiscal year 2010-11. During the last fiscal year, DAS rescued 26 horses in the county, according to County News Center.

“In this economy, everyone is being forced to tighten their belts and the costs of hay and veterinary care for horses can get prohibitively expensive,” said Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson. “The current prices for a bale of hay ranges from $19 to $29 and the high cost can be tied to competition for the hay, drought and even the ever-increasing price of gasoline.” 

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Owners can contact either the San Diego Horse Coalition or the Unwanted Horse Coalition for assistance or other options available to the horse owner. It is a crime to abandon or neglect your horse or any animal in your care. County Animals Services can be reached at 619-236-2341 or the general line at 619-767-2675.

Read more about abandoned horses and their correlation with the economy on County News Center and check out Patch’s contributor and blogger Karen Carlson and her regular updates on horses.

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