A team of horse rescuers reported the abuse to authorities this week. A vet estimates it hadn’t received proper care in over a year.
PHOENIX — Animal rights advocates in the Valley are demanding accountability after disturbing images surfaced showing a severely neglected horse at a West Phoenix property now under investigation for animal cruelty.
Phoenix police confirmed that the home near 83rd Avenue and Osborn Road is at the center of an active investigation. Over the past 48 hours, 12News has received numerous photos and videos depicting a single horse suffering from extreme neglect and apparent abuse.
On Tuesday night, equestrian expert Jared Faraci and his team were called to the property to assist the animal. Faraci described what he found as one of the most severe cases of neglect he’s encountered in nearly two decades working with horses.
“A vet did come out and did evaluate the animal and told Phoenix PD that is at least a year of neglect—those feet have not been taken care of in a year,” Faraci said.
The horse’s injuries extended far beyond its hooves.
“This horse was covered in sores, open wounds—pink flesh, oozing wounds,” Faraci said. “Not anything like a scrape or a bump. You know, they’re horses, they get hurt. But this was far past that.”
Faraci said the property owner told him the horse had been taken in as a rescue two months earlier, but the owner declined to say where the animal came from or how it was injured.
When 12News spoke with the homeowner on Thursday, he offered a similar explanation. He claimed that his family took the horse in to try and help it, but had no explanation for how the horse became so badly mistreated. Faraci hopes that Phoenix PD can get to the bottom of who is responsible.
“I did not take possession of the horse under Phoenix PD’s recommendation because there was no clear owner of the horse,” Faraci said. “They did not say they owned the horse.”
Phoenix police confirmed that they received an animal cruelty call for service on Tuesday night. Faraci reported seeing nearly a dozen officers respond and said that a detective has been assigned to the case. The horse has since been euthanized due to the extent of its injuries, according to the property owner.
Faraci praised the swift police response but said he hopes the investigation leads to stronger accountability for those responsible.
“Seeing a horse like that—it’s an image that doesn’t leave your brain,” he said. “We try to help out with as much of it as we can. I know you can’t save all of them, but this one will stick with me.”
Phoenix police say the investigation remains active.
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere, thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like “Today in AZ” and “12 News” and our daily lifestyle program, “Arizona Midday”—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for “12 News KPNX.”
Amazon Fire TV: Search for “12 News KPNX” to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.