Economy fuels rise in S. Ind. horse starvations

OWENSVILLE, Ind. — The struggling economy and high hay prices are spurring a spike in horse starvation cases in southern Indiana and a record number of people surrendering animals they can no longer afford to keep.

Gibson County Animal Services director Brenda Foley tells The Princeton Daily Clarion (http://bit.ly/q2ZqOm ) that people are surrendering horses at record numbers in the county. She said 19 abandoned and neglected horses were euthanized last week.

Foley says people are unable to afford animals, and shelters such as hers exist on donations that are dwindling in the down economy.

Volunteers for Indiana Horse Rescue say they’ve taken in horses in dire condition. Volunteer Vietta Lee says fewer people are adopting abandoned horses that often face a painful, slow starvation death.