Humane Society of North Texas rescues 90 neglected animals
Officials with the Humane Society of North Texas appealed for donations Wednesday to rehabilitate 90 neglected animals rescued this week southeast of Waco.
The agency hopes to raise more than $15,000 to help rehabilitate the animals and prepare them for adoption.
On Monday, five members of the agency’s investigations staff rescued 53 chickens, nine horses, eight donkeys, eight piglets, six hogs, four cats, a goose and a dog from a property in Falls County, the county seat of which is Marlin.
Agency spokeswoman Whitney Hanson said Wednesday that the owner of the animals left the animals unattended after being arrested last week.
“It took months of starvation for these horses and donkeys to become as thin as they are, and it will take months on a special feeding program to get them back to a healthy weight,” Humane Society veterinarian Cynthia Jones said in news release.
On Monday, Humane Society officials received a call requesting assistance in rescuing the animals after the owner agreed to surrender them. Upon arrival they found two horses dead in a pasture that was all dirt and mud and no grass. The surviving horses were sickly and had internal parasites.
Officials found free-roaming chickens on the property along with a goose, a hound dog and a pen of pigs including eight newborn piglets. In the home, investigators found four cats and seven dehydrated chickens.
Officials moved the animals to livestock properties in the Fort Worth area. Most are being held in Crowley, Hanson said.
Officials need the donations for specialized feeding programs, deworming, vaccinations and medications. Donations can be made at www.hsnt.org or by mail to the Humane Society of North Texas, 1840 E. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth, TX, 76103.
Anyone interested in adopting the animals should email livestock@hsnt.org for more information.
Domingo Ramirez Jr.: 817-390-7763, @mingoramirezjr
This story was originally published December 23, 2015 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Humane Society of North Texas rescues 90 neglected animals."