Starving horses improve thanks to community help

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Some South Valley horses have gotten the attention they needed after they were found starving and in poor shape last month.

Nine horses that were found in poor conditions are now being cared for at the Kings County Animal Shelter.

Normally the shelter only has the finances and hands to take care of one or two but thanks to dozens of volunteers and donations they have more than enough supplies to get the horses healthy for adoption.

The former owner of the beautiful white female horse now at the shelter wants officials to give him a chance to take her back, but the Kings County Animal Shelter has already received many calls from people wanting to adopt her after seeing her story on Action News earlier this month.

"It makes me very angry but with the economy now I know it's getting really hard to feed these animals," animal control officer Alkendra Barnett said.

Animal control officer Norma Van Zant says most of the horses are improving and two are already ready for adoption. The rest still need constant care to get them healthy again and should be eligible for adoption in one to two months.

"I come in about 30 min early from my shift and, everybody needs water, tap out the waters, everybody needs hay there's three horses that need a mixture of a bran supplement to help them gain weight," Van Zant said.

The Kings County Animal Shelter says they could not have cared for these horses without the support of the community. More than 120 bales of hay have been donated, plus dozens more supplies.

"We have a few ladies from the base that come in every evening and they scoop the pens. They're great," Van Zant said.

"To see them now is amazing. It's like I can see what my work is doing," Barnett said.

The cost to adopt one of the horses is $200.

Shelter officials are worried they will see more malnourished horses this winter, when hay prices are expected to rise.

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south valley, animal, kings county, local, jessica peres

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