An old mare’s life has been saved after years of extraordinary abuse
This week a call came in to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel from Dr. Zvi Galin, Director of the Tel Aviv Municipality’s Veterinarian Department. Dr. Galin called to request help in saving a mare which had been found injured and bleeding in a parking lot in the Naveh Sharet neighborhood in Tel Aviv.
The called was taken by the Society’s groom, who found the mare lying on the ground, groaning in pain, with an infected open wound on her leg. After much effort and with the help of some neighbors, Getanyu managed to vacate the mare to the Society’s stables in a special wagon designed for transporting horses.
The veterinarian horse specialist, Dr. Amos Kol, who was waiting for the mare on her arrival, diagnosed her as being over twenty five years of age and in very bad physical condition. She was gaunt and suffering from an infected wound on her hind leg that had been neglected for a long time and her physical condition had regressed dramatically. The mare, who was suffering from extremely severe pain, was unable to stand and had been forced to lie on the ground for an extended period of time, which, in turn, led to the formation of multiple bedsores all over her body.
Since her irresponsible owners had also saddled and harnessed her with equipment that didn’t fit her, the mare was also suffering from wounds on her forelegs and back. In addition, her hooves were in a state of terrible neglect, leading to difficulty in walking.
The poor mare is now being treated with antibiotics and painkillers, her wounds have been cleaned and disinfected, and her condition is improving daily. However, the care of the mare is far from over and she has a long period of rehabilitation in front of her.
Even after five intensive years, during which the Society has rescued and rehabilitated over five hundred horses and donkeys who had suffered lives of misery, there are still many horses and donkeys out there living in sub-standard conditions. We call on all the authorities to continue to act in every way possible and to use every means available to them to put an end to this serious phenomenon and unbearable abuse.
Anyone wishing to check out the possibility of adopting horses or donkeys are invited to contact the Society offices at: *4553.