Four horses severely underfed at a farm in Summerville. Two of the horses have since been voluntarily signed over to a rescue farm. Elizabeth Steed of LEARN Horse Rescue says, "When they first came in they had to have muzzles on because they were trying to eat the shavings in the stall."
The starvation was only the beginning as one of the horses also has severe burn marks all over the back. Veterinarian Howland Mansfield, who first responded to the call, explained that kerosene was poured on the horses back. It's an old wives tale that the oil is a remedy for rain rot. "I believe it was kerosene and possibly oil that was poured on the horse, which caused burning of the skin, and the horse lost large portions of the skin and parts of the musculature on the top as well."
The description of the pain is almost too much to hear. Steed says, "Basically he was slowly burning from the chemical."
Maggots were even found in the burned flesh, pockets of unhatched eggs even found even six days later. "I was combing some of the areas of the hair up front and we still found pockets of maggots."
The other two horses found on the farm still remain in the custody of the owner, Dwight McCloud. Stopping by McCloud's home, you can catch a glimpse of the remaining horses in the backyard.
McCloud did not want to speak on camera about the situation, but paperwork filled out by animal control shows, he had recently fallen on hard times. In the paperwork, he explains he "had to cut back on food because he couldn't afford it."
McCloud also quoted in the paperwork as "upset" because he was ticketed even after signing the horses away. He is quoted as saying, they were "humiliating" him.
Mansfield says, there is no excuse for starving animals. "We can find them a home if you cannot care for your animals, we are more than happy to find a place for them."
When asked if the paint gelding, named Whisper, with the burn marks will have scars for life, Steed responded, "All of us, that have taken care of him, we are profoundly affected. So I think we are the ones who are going to have the scars. You just never get used to it, and as many times as I have seen that look in their eyes, it just never gets easy."
Steed went on to estimate that the recovery process will take 3-4 months, and thousands of dollars. Even if McCloud is assessed fines for the neglect, that money will not be funneled to the care of the animals. LEARN is a non-profit rescue farm that works off of donations, and with now 30 horses on the property.
McCloud is scheduled to appear in court on April 5.
