One horse is dead and another has been transferred to a refuge for care following a tragic accident in Hemmingford. The pair of horses escaped their home overnight on March 30. According to several posts on social media, neighbours reported to local authorities that the horses were loose on the road, and the fire department became involved in attempting to capture the animals. Refuge RR, an animal refuge located in Alexandria, Ontario, was also contacted, and they sent a team to help rescue the distressed horses.
According to Rose Gergely, the owner of Refuge RR, the horses had not been handled and were especially difficult to capture. At one point, they ran across a yard and fell through the ice covering an unfenced inground pool. Several neighbours and members of the fire department immediately began working to free the animals. Volunteers managed after some time to free one of the horses. The second animal became trapped under ice and a covering over the pool and unfortunately drowned.
Gergely says a veterinarian was called immediately to the scene to ensure the surviving horse was examined to be sure it had not aspirated water into its lungs. Warming blankets were also placed on the animal before it was transported with the owner’s permission to the Refuge RR for treatment.
Gergely reports that while the horse, whose name is Belle, seems to be recovering physically from the ordeal, “She is nervous, and she is scared.” Gergely says it will now take some time to be sure Belle does not develop pneumonia, and for her to recover from the trauma and the loss of her companion.
Gergely commends the volunteers who helped with the rescue, saying they worked hard to get the horse out. She adds that if anyone would like to help with the costs associated with Belle’s rescue and aftercare, they can make a tax-deductible donation to RefugeRR; more information can be found online at refugerr.org. (SR)