ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — An investigation is underway after over a dozen horses were found to be in poor condition at a property in Elizabeth City on Thursday.
The Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office was called out to the 2900 block of Main Street in reference to the welfare of horses.
After deputies arrived, an investigation began and the U.S. Equine Rescue League later evaluated 23 horses according to the Henneke Body Conditioning Scoring System. The system rates equine on a scale of one through nine, with one being "poor" and nine being "extremely fat."
The 23 horses were evaluated and the average score came out to be a 1.9, the sheriff's office said in a press release.
After the evaluation, two of the horses were rehomed and 17 horses were either surrendered or seized to the care of the U.S. Equine Rescue League. Four horses that were boarded at the facility will get returned to their owners tomorrow, the sheriff's office said.
No charges have been filed yet due to the top priority being on the wellness of the horses.
The sheriff's office explained that the care and rehabilitation of all 17 horses is expensive, and said that donations can be accepted at the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Office to help in offsetting the cost for the treatment the horses will need to get healthy once again.