The Porter County Animal Shelter took custody of three severely malnourished miniature horses this week, after animal control officers found them without food or water in the heat.

Charges are pending against the owner, according to the animal shelter.

The shelter said it received a call at 11:30 a.m. Monday from the Porter County Sheriff’s Department about a complaint of neglected horses in the 100 block of C.R. 250W in Center Township. The resident who made the initial call told police that the owner of the horses is rarely home, according to the shelter’s report.

Animal control officers who responded found the horses emaciated, with no available water. A large water trough was on the premises, but it was dry, filled with leaves and sticks, the shelter said.

The backbones of two of the horses were “very prominent,” and one of the horse’s hip bones protruded upwards about two and a half inches, the shelter said.

The shelter said the quarter-acre parcel lacked any grass, but there was a small amount of crushed corn and seed pellets on the ground. The shelter’s report estimated that the food may have been sufficient to feed one pony.

The temperature at the time of the animal control visit was 88 degrees.

The animal shelter impounded the horses, which were checked by a veterinarian that day.

Shelter assistant director Pat Jackson said one of the horses was not expected to survive. The horse did make it, though he is still having some problems. The other two are doing well, she said.

She added that the horses “went crazy” when they were given ample food to eat, and that one of them began prancing after getting nursed back to health. The horses are small enough that they are now being housed within the animal shelter, which is air conditioned.

Posted 6/25/2009