Nearly Two Dozen Neglected Horses Up for Adoption

Nearly two dozen neglected horses seized from a Ramona property July 22 are now healthy enough to be put up for adoption.  

County Animal Services removed the horses from a property on Old Julian Highway after an administrative hearing officer issued an order to seize the animals for their own safety. The horses were either underweight, needed dental work, suffered from hoof problems or all three. An investigation into the animals’ owner is still ongoing.   

Animal Services brought the horses back up to health and will be conducting a silent bid for the horses starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 and closing at 12:00 noon. The minimum bid for the horses is set at $100. Three of the mares have foals that will be auctioned as a set with the same minimum bid.

Anyone interested in adopting the horses can see photographs and descriptions of the animals on Animal Services’ website. Interested adopters may also check out the horses in person Thursday, Aug. 22 and Friday, Aug. 23. They’ll be stabled at the Department’s animal care facility in Bonita located at 5821 Sweetwater Rd. and can be seen during  normal business hours from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Special viewing hours have also been made for Saturday Aug. 24, starting at 8 a.m. 

In order to be approved to adopt a horse, potential adopters must first complete the Horse Adoption Application that can be found online and submit the application to staff members at the Bonita facility by 10 a.m. on Aug. 24.

After the silent bidding takes place, winning applicants could be notified by 2 p.m. that same afternoon. All winning bidders will need to arrange their own transportation for their horse(s) and take possession no later than 5:30 p.m.  

Animal Services operates three animal care facilities located at 5480 Gaines St. in San Diego; 2481 Palomar Airport Rd. in Carlsbad; and 5821 Sweetwater Rd. in Bonita. They’re open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. To find out more information on animals available for adoption and see their photos, visit the department’s website. 

-County of San Diego news release