Thirteen malnourished horses recently seized from a Ramona property are available for adoption Saturday and Sunday, according to officials.
The County Department of Animal Services took three horses who were in the most danger from the property on May 29. Twelve more were taken on June 2, immediately following an administrative hearing, according to Lt. Dan DeSousa.
The horses were underweight, with many of them having severe hoof issues. Two of the horses were too far gone and had to be euthanized to alleviate their suffering, according to DeSousa. The remaining horses have been under veterinary care and are healthy enough to be adopted.
"All of these horses suffered from neglect and our staff has dedicated a lot of time, energy and hay to help the animals put on weight," said Dawn Danielson, director of animal services.
Officials said some of the horses still have hoof issues but given time and proper care, those conditions should resolve themselves.
The horses available for adoption include three Belgians, five thoroughbreds, four Quarter Horses and one Quarter Horse/Arab mix.
All of the horses are at the animal services facility in Bonita. The adoption prices vary per horse and interested adopters were encouraged to visit the Bonita shelter to view the horses and obtain the adoption prices.
