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Courtesy photo

A closeup view of the emaciated horse Foothills Animal Rescue found tied behind their facilities July 20. Nicknamed “Delilah,” personnel at Luv Shack Ranch Horse Rescue said Delilah was in very bad condition, including being underfed and dehydrated, but is expected to make a complete recovery.
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Abandoned horse finds care, shelter
Mare found tied behind animal rescue
by Brian DiTullio

CAVE CREEK – Animal rescue volunteers are on the hunt to find the owner responsible for a malnourished horse found tied behind Foothills Animal Rescue this past Sunday.

Joey Ogburn, director of Luv Shack Ranch Horse Rescue, said she received a panicked phone call from an employee of the animal rescue early Sunday morning. That person arrived at the facility on Cave Creek Road to find the mare tied to a tree in the alley behind the shelter and an anonymous explanatory note shoved into the door.

Foothills Animal Rescue president Becky Didier, upon being called by the employee, immediately turned to Ogburn for help. “We’re totally unequipped to take care of horses,” she said.

Ogburn described the abandoned horse, which she now has named Delilah, as unhealthy, very thin and dehydrated.

“As I approached the mare, I noticed her very frail body, skin just draped over her bones,” said Ogburn in a press release. “As we loaded her into the trailer, my heart just broke; she had lost so much weight that lifting her legs took so much effort.”

Ogburn related the contents of the note to The Desert Advocate on Monday, stating the owners did not want to feed the horse anymore and that they wanted the author of the note to put the horse down. Instead, the anonymous writer brought the horse to the shelter.

“She’s so emaciated; I can’t believe people do this,” said Didier. “They dump animals in dumpsters and they never think of the consequences of their actions.”

According to Ogburn, Delilah appears to be about 20 years old and is a registered thoroughbred. She is hoping to decipher the mare’s tattoo and trace Delilah’s ownership to the person who neglected her.

As for the prognosis, Ogburn said Delilah’s teeth are “horrible” and that the animal probably is full of worms. However, she is in good spirits now that she has been fed, watered and bathed.

Ogburn took Delilah out for a short walk Monday afternoon, in between the mare munching on Bermuda grass and drinking from a large tank of water in the shade.

“All she wants to do right now is eat and drink,” said Ogburn.

On Tuesday a veterinarian gave the horse a clean bill of health.

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