Fla. Animal Refuge Rescues 21 Horses from 'Heartbreaking Conditions' with 'Ribs and Hip Bones Protruding' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Alaqua Animal Refuge

A Florida animal refuge is showing that “hope is always possible” when it comes to saving the lives of animals in need.

“Many were severely underweight, their ribs and hip bones protruding beneath dull, patchy coats,” Hood adds. “Clearly, they had not received proper care or consistent nutrition for a very long time. Several also showed signs of untreated medical conditions, and their coats were embedded with botfly eggs and hoof neglect.”

Alaqua Animal Refuge was already stretched thin when the call came in as Hood says their facilities were at maximum capacity with animals displaced due to Hurricane Milton. However, that didn’t stop the refuge from exacting the necessary steps to ensure they could intake the animals.

Unfortunately, Hood shares that “eight of the 21 were in a life-or-death situation, severely emaciated and barely able to stand.” As a result, two horses “suffered too much neglect and passed away shortly after their arrival,” with Hood calling the deaths a “heartbreaking loss.”

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Despite the “profoundly distressing” deaths of two of the horses, Hood proudly shares that the remaining 19 “have not lost their innate resilience” and are already showing signs of progress within days of arriving.

“Some horses have begun to approach staff members more willingly, looking forward to their walks around the refuge. There have been moments when a horse, previously too weak to show interest in anything, will nicker softly as someone approaches with fresh hay,” she notes.

source: people.com