Update on Lilly’s story
Per the vet’s evaluation and 3rd follow up, Lilly was let go humanely today as the neglect her body had endured for so long made recovery impossible.
While the emaciation might have been overcome with time, her lameness had been unaddressed for too long, and her front legs and back were crippled and ignored beyond even the scope of any type of pain management.
While this is never the end we hope for in rescue cases (and thankfully, it isn’t the typical ending), we are thankful this mare came to us to have a full stomach and tons of affection in her last week of life. . .to know a cool fan, some apples, soaked alfalfa and a fly free barn for just a bit. To know what being brushed and standing in deep bedding felt like . . .for if she ever knew these comforts, it is certainly been many years ago. . .
Shame on those who let her get to this point. But shame isn’t enough, as it was a criminal act. Not only did she suffer horrible neglect that ultimately made her survival impossible, but she bred and carried a foal on legs that were so painful, she could barely walk. She was then denied enough nutrition to feed her foal adequately. In the end, though she finally was moved away from that horrible abuse, her foal wasn’t allowed to come with her to rescue.
In the end, while it would have only been 7 more days together, they would have been days together in their lives where they had plenty of food and care. That wasn’t to be, and now it is too late for them to be reunited.
Heart of Phoenix often sees situations where the owners are too poor to even feed themselves, owners who beg us to help them and know they have failed, but this owner saw nothing wrong and had the income to do better. Worse over, he bred the mare and was worried about losing his investment when law enforcement showed up.
We ask Clay County to take this seriously and file criminal charges.
We are told by the colt is being cared for in the county and hasn’t been returned to the owner who neglected them. We have been told he will not be returned to his previous owner, and we hope to receive confirmation of this by seeing charges are brought down which will mean the owner, if found guilty, cannot own animals for 5 years.
Her pain is finally once and forever. . over.
God’s Speed sweet little Champagne colored mare