Abandoned horses a growing problem in NC as food, medicine prices rise

Horses are some of the animals that are the most forgotten about.

When people think of adoption centers or animal shelters they think of cats and dogs. However, the abandoned horse population is growing at an alarming rate.

There are reports of food and medication prices doubling or tripling since the pandemic and it's the root cause of people abandoning their animals.

Animal control and rehab ranches are seeing an increase in underweight and starving horses left behind.

Horton's Rehab Ranch in Pender County gets calls every day to take in more horses that need help, but unfortunately, they're running out of room.

One of their newest horses, Romeo, was found severely starved and left behind three weeks ago.

"What we're seeing is a lot more underweight horses and starving horses," said Horton's Rehab Ranch founder Jewell Horton. "People aren't buying horses like they were before, auction prices are somewhere in between. Good horses are selling high. Old horses, senior horses aren't bringing anything and people were just at a loss what to do with them."