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.<\/p>\n
PHOENIX \u2014 Animal rights advocates in the Valley are demanding accountability after disturbing images surfaced showing a severely neglected horse at a West Phoenix property<\/a> now under investigation for animal cruelty.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s encountered in nearly two decades working with horses.<\/p>\n \u201cA vet did come out and did evaluate the animal and told Phoenix PD that is at least a year of neglect\u2014those feet have not been taken care of in a year,\u201d Faraci said.<\/p>\n The horse\u2019s injuries extended far beyond its hooves.<\/p>\n \u201cThis horse was covered in sores, open wounds\u2014pink flesh, oozing wounds,\u201d Faraci said. \u201cNot anything like a scrape or a bump. You know, they\u2019re horses, they get hurt. But this was far past that.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI did not take possession of the horse under Phoenix PD\u2019s recommendation because there was no clear owner of the horse,\u201d Faraci said. \u201cThey did not say they owned the horse.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Faraci praised the swift police response but said he hopes the investigation leads to stronger accountability for those responsible.<\/p>\n \u201cSeeing a horse like that\u2014it\u2019s an image that doesn\u2019t leave your brain,\u201d he said. \u201cWe try to help out with as much of it as we can. I know you can\u2019t save all of them, but this one will stick with me.\u201d<\/p>\n Phoenix police say the investigation remains active.<\/p>\n
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