Thirteen emaciated horses from a Warren County farm were relocated to Last Chance Ranch to be rehabilitated.
Thirteen Warren County horses arrived at their new home wary to the touch, with builds as thin as skeletons and heads to the ground. After months of neglect, they were physically and emotionally depleted.
That's where Last Chance Ranch comes in.
The Jackson Township, N.J.-based animal rescue has a simple mission: to rescue the mistreated, save the injured and love the abandoned. Currently, its primary focus is the 13 emaciated horses that caretakers must rehabilitate and re-home.
After feeding horses shrink-wrap-ridden hay and limiting their access to water, the operator of Horses 4 Hope in Pohatcong Township was charged with 15 counts of animal cruelty, according to New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Aiyanna Callaway, 33, of the Bangor area, was charged Saturday after a joint investigation by the NJSPCA and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture concluded that 13 of the 37 horses located on the property were below the minimal body score of a 2.0 for domesticated animals.
The horses were relocated in April to Last Chance Ranch in Ocean County, where volunteers have tirelessly worked to rehabilitate them.
"It's hard work and we miss our free time, but it's worth it," said volunteer Michelle Wilson. "We care about the animals and we can't wait to see them have a better life."
Neglected horses ate hay with plastic, had no water, SPCA says
Wilson regards the mistreatment of the horses as an act of "pure ignorance and neglect," and "easily avoidable."
With the love and persistence of Last Chance volunteers, she said, the horses' appearances and demeanors have greatly improved the past several weeks.
"Within two to three weeks we put a lot of weight on them," Wilson said. "Their fur looks great and they're happier."
Every single horse has improved since April, she said, and as soon as they achieve the necessary body score, they can move to new homes. Some are only about 0.25 off from reaching that score, she said.
Once they are ready, Wilson will ensure that they go to a good home by doing veterinary checks and home screenings. None of the horses will be going to auction or the slaughterhouse, she said.
Wilson is determined to find each horse a loving home.
"I'm very confident that I have a good judge of character" when it comes to re-homing rescued animals, she said.
The investigation began in March and resulted from numerous complaints that Callaway ordered hay in shrink-wrap, placed it in a field and left it up to the horses to rip through plastic with their teeth.
The NJSPCA also found that the only access to water came from a pond that collected the run-off of feces and urine from the horses.
The neglect led to the death of some horses, state officials said. Tests revealed bot larvae in a horse's digestive system as well as botulism in its digestive system and in the hay.
Wilson explained that when ordering a round bale of hay, it's pertinent that it is eaten quickly. Old bales become moist and develop a bacteria that will lead to infections in the horses, she said.
Last Chance Ranch is doing everything possible to provide the animals with a better future, Wilson said. Volunteers take all their instruction from a veterinarian and make sure the horses are being well-fed. In addition, they give extra nourishment to the smaller and older horses of the bunch.
"There's a pecking order," Wilson explained. In order to prevent any of the horses from being picked on by the others, they keep the elderly and thinner ones inside and provide them with boosters and extra food to help them gain weight faster.
Wilson emphasized the need and appreciation of community support in the form of donations and volunteers.
"We here at Last Chance Ranch Rescue do the best we can with the resources we have," says the farm's website. "We really do try to save them all, which is why your donations, sponsoring and volunteering are so important to us as a team."
Alyssa Mursch may be reached at amursch@lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.