HORSES NEGLECTED

A pack of 18 emaciated horses were seized Friday by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals from a property in Las Lomas where, officials said, they had been eating dirt and fighting over meager food supplies.

Eight mares, many likely pregnant, and one colt are being held at the SPCA facility on the Monterey-Salinas Highway. Three stallions and five foals are at the Steinbeck Country Equine Clinic in Salinas. The animals are recovering while the SPCA investigates the case.

"We haven't seen a horse this skinny before," said veterinarian Erin Mattern of the Salinas clinic.

The horses are owned by Antonia Acevedo, 50, who said Monday she has been struggling with financial and health issues.

The investigation began when a worker called the SPCA to report that power had been cut off to Acevedo's property on Betty Way, leaving the horses without water because a pump was not operating.

SPCA representatives found 18 horses in varying stages of neglect. The animals had eaten every blade of grass on the property.

"The property was perhaps the most denuded of edible vegetation that I've seen in a horse case," said SPCA Executive Director Gary Tiscomia. "I've been in this business for 25 years and I don't recall ever having seen horses graze a property this thoroughly."

Lisa Hoefler, the SPCA's director of operations, said the first animal she saw couldn't get up. The animal's bones were protruding and it had sores from lying on its side. That horse, Rudy, was sent to the Steinbeck clinic.

The SPCA initially made an agreement with the owner to work together to provide adequate food and water for the 17 remaining animals. The agency took food and water to the property regularly for two weeks before deciding to change its approach.

"Every time that we went out there, the things that she was saying were going to happen weren't happening," Hoefler said.

"Ultimately, we were aware that she was simply not able to provide adequate care," commented Tiscomia.

The SPCA is discussing the case with the Monterey County District Attorney's Office but there has been no decision on criminal charges.

"The bottom line is we want the best thing for these horses," Tiscomia said.

Acevedo, a physician's assistant at a Watsonville health agency, said she had raised most of the horses from birth on her property and used to ride them for pleasure. She said she has been having financial troubles and suffers from mental health problems that have affected her ability to care for the animals. However, she said, she feels the SPCA misrepresented its intentions when it said it would work with her. She is planning to write a letter of complaint.

"I know everybody has hard times, you know, but it's not fair to assume that people aren't doing the best they can to remedy the situation," said Acevedo.

Almost three weeks after arriving at the clinic, Rudy is doing "really, really well," Mattern reported. He has finally been able to stand up on his own and it may take weeks or months for him to build back muscle mass; he's eating a regular diet and gaining weight, she said.

The rest of the horses are generally in better condition but are suffering from malnourishment and other symptoms, including compacted sand in their intestines from having eaten dirt. More extensive medical tests are pending.

Hoefler said this was the largest group of neglected horses she has seen in her 24 years at the agency. The SPCA sees cases of one or two neglected horses every couple of years.

"A lot of people in this area seem to want horses, and care about horses, but don't have the expertise necessary to be able to care for them," Hoefler said.

The SPCA investigates around 75 horse-related calls a year. By contrast, reports of mistreated dogs come in almost every week.

Neglect cases come in two types, Tiscomia said. One involves people who want an animal but are not aware of the care it will require. The other involves animal lovers who collect more animals than they can care for.

The SPCA is stretching its resources to provide care for the 18 horses and welcomes donations to help offset the cost of medical care. It's also looking for horse lovers to volunteer to work with the rescued animals. The SPCA phone number is 373-2631.