By Devin Rokyta
Sixty-six horses removed from a Latah County, Idaho, property in connection to a neglect case are headed to new homes thanks in part to a team of Washington State University veterinarians and students who donated a day of care to prepare the animals for adoption.
Led by WSU equine veterinarian Dr. Ali Botting, a group of veterinary students traveled on Aug. 27 to Lewiston, Idaho, to provide vaccinations, deworming treatments, microchips, testing and general health assessments for horses in the care of Horse & Halo and the Idaho Animal Rescue Network.
‘I’m proud of how our students and interns handled a long, hot day of work. This kind of experience lets us serve the community while giving students a firsthand look at a side of veterinary medicine they don’t get in the classroom or the hospital,” Botting said. “We’re grateful to the Idaho Animal Rescue Network for the work they do, and glad WSU could be part of getting these horses to their new homes.’
The horses were seized June 5 and were temporarily being cared for at the Lewiston Livestock Market. Redheart said most arrived underweight and suffering from the effects of inadequate nutrition and routine care. The horses spent the summer recovering, receiving medical treatment and gaining weight. Following the visit from the WSU team, all but a handful were adopted to new homes.
“This year has been a challenging year for our rescue, especially for the equine aspect,” Idaho Animal Rescue Network founder and director Jenna Redheart said. “Our equine cases have almost tripled. Without WSU stepping in to help, we wouldn’t have been able to get these horses ready for adoption. It would have been impossible without them.”
Source : wsu.edu