METHUEN — Eighteen horses arrived by trailer at the MSCPA at Nevins Farm this week after being rescued from Alford, Massachusetts. It is the largest single surrender of horses in at least five years, according to shelter workers.
Some of the animals, involved in an ongoing animal cruelty investigation, are ill. Treatment is pending official diagnosis.
The investigation is led by the MSPCA Law Enforcement department in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
“We have so many horses and other farm animals on our property already at this time of year, so our teams spent the weekend resetting interior and exterior spaces to ensure the horses, many of whom have contagious respiratory illness, can settle in safely and comfortably,” said Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at the MSPCA-Angell.
According to Keiley, the operation ahead of the horses’ arrival involved one of the fastest repositioning of large animals in the organization’s history.
“Within two days we were able to place 10 horses already on the property into adoptive or foster homes to make space for the new arrivals,” he said.
He expressed gratitude for the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who agreed to take in two of the MSPCA’s resident horses.
Roughly $20,000 was spent on supplies and equipment for animals already sheltered at the Methuen facility. Then the horses came along.
“We’re in urgent need of donations at a time of year when the animals need it most,” Keiley said.
Anyone who wishes to donate can do so at mspca.org/alford.
Breanna Edelstein may be contacted bedelstein@eagletribune.com