Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary rescued a one-year-old bay horse last week from a neglectful situation in Goshen, NY. The horse, named Joey by the sanctuary, was being kept in severely unsafe conditions behind a warehouse in Orange County. Inspector Tim Reardon of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office contacted Pets Alive when he received a call about a horse that was not being fed.
Officer Reardon and Pets Alive Farm Manager Cindy O’Brien arrived at the location to inspect the horse and found him in a small, weedy area surrounded by chicken wire. There was a shed shelter available for the horse, but it was littered with nails and glass. There was a water trough full of algae and the horse did not have any food available. The horse was in very poor physical condition and extremely underweight. The horse also was extremely under socialized and did not appear to have had much contact with humans, despite being around one year old. He was extremely nervous and would run away from any new people.
O’Brien visited Joey daily for several weeks to gain his trust so that he could be safely caught and trailered to his new home at Pets Alive. O’Brien fed Joey daily and spent time getting him used to people. Joey arrived safely at Pets Alive last week. He has been enjoying his new home and working on his socialization and handling skills.
Executive Director Audrey Lodato says “Joey is so happy to see us every morning. He greets us with a whinny and stomps his foot. We’re really enjoying his companionship. Our continued partnership with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has been great for animal welfare in our community and animals like Joey.”
The owner of the horse willfully surrendered the animal to Pets Alive when pressed by the sheriff’s office.
If you are interested in adopting Joey, email [email protected]. If you are interested in making a donation to his care, you can visit www.petsalive.com or mail a donation to Pets Alive, 363 Derby Road, Middletown, NY 10940.
