21-Year-Old Emaciated Horse Rescued in Ravenel

By: Charleston Animal Society

RAVENEL, SC – A 21-year-old emaciated horse is recovering after being rescued August 9th. A Charleston County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to a property on Jacksonboro, Rd. in Ravenel, after an eyewitness called to report concerns about the horse’s condition.

The female horse named “Strawberry” was found alone in the field with only a bucket of dirty water and two bales of hay that appeared to be weeks old. The deputy said the animal’s ribs and spine were easily visible and her hooves were in “deplorable” condition.

The owner was found across the street in a house and said he buys Strawberry hay once a month and did have the horse de-wormed every three months. The owner is being charged with “ill treatment of an animal,” a felony in South Carolina, for not providing proper nourishment for Strawberry and for not providing adequate veterinary care.

The sheriff’s office seized the horse and brought her to Charleston Animal Society to recover. An equine specialist veterinarian determined the horse had a body condition score of 1 [out of 9] on the Henneke Equine Body Condition Score Chart, which meant she was very thin and emaciated.

An equine veterinarian also noted that the horse’s hooves were in bad condition and she had a sore on her face from the halter being left on for an extended period of time. Strawberry also has ticks in her ears and on her body and has a fungal skin condition. Strawberry is now continuing her recovery with a Charleston Animal Society foster family.

31 DAYS TO END CRUELTY

Strawberry’s case is just the latest of 47 cruelty cases Charleston Animal Society has been involved with since the start of 2023. Throughout the month of August, donations to fight animal cruelty are being DOUBLED up to $50,000, thanks to generous gifts from Deborah Chalsty, Shelly Leeke Law Firm, Marge Lawson & Jimmy Baldrick, Hall Management Group, and an Anonymous Friend of Animals.

“Charleson Animal Society is committed to fighting cruelty wherever it exists, especially when it’s happening in our own backyard,” said Charleston Animal Society Vice President of Operations and Strategy Aldwin Roman, CAWA.

To give to 31 Day to End Cruelty campaign go to CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/endcruelty.