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Glastonbury, CT (WFSB) — According to the Equine Rescue Network, there are about 137,000 unwanted horses that are slaughtered each year in the United States.
A woman in Glastonbury is doing her part to help save at least a few.
Saira, 15, is a horse that is carrying a baby foal due in March or April.
She just arrived in Connecticut a week ago, and her new home is at Hidden Meadow Equestrian Center in Glastonbury.
Owner Felica Fontaine learned of Saira through the Equine Rescue Network which saves horses from kill pens.
She saw Saira’s picture online looking thin and fragile and knew she had to save her.
“She just looked so sad and alone and that’s just a gut instinct or gut intention, I’ve got to see what I can do for her and it just happened that everything worked out and I was able to bring her up here,” Fontaine said.
Saira was rescued from auction in Louisiana.
“It’s a sad fact that there are a lot of horses, through no fault of their own. Their owners pass away, their owners lose their house, their land, something happens and the horse ends up usually being malnourished underweight probably unhappy and on one knows what to do with them so they send them to this kill pen,” Fontaine said.
Saira is now here safe in Connecticut, and according to the vet, she and her baby are doing well.
It costs about $2,500 a year to take care of a horse.
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