Grenada, Miss. (February 25, 2014) – In Defense of Animals (IDA), the international animal protection organization that operates Hope Animal Sanctuary in Grenada, Mississippi, has been granted permission to act as agent of the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department in the seizure of a herd of seventeen starving Yalobusha County horses. The entire herd will be moved today to safe pasture in order to help speed their recovery.

Last week, IDA began supplying the horses with quality hay and reached out to the public and other rescue groups for assistance in securing pasture space, feed, and medical care for their rehabilitation. “Their suffering is hard to imagine—left to slowly starve to death while watching their herd mates die all around them,” said Doll Stanley, director of Hope Animal Sanctuary. “A fellow rescuer in the region was moved by their story and has offered her property to temporarily house the horses. Mississippi Horse Rescue will help with transport and will take in two of the horses,” added Stanley.

IDA’s partnership with law enforcement to help neglected, abused, and abandoned animals has kept Hope Animal Sanctuary at capacity and over budget during the last several months. Other regional rescues are experiencing similar circumstances and many are now working together in order to share the expense of cruelty cases.

IDA is seeking legal custody of the horses and they will be available for adoption once they have fully recovered. We will also pursue prosecution for the inexcusable neglect of these horses.