In January, at the request of the Madison County Sheriff's Office, the ASPCA assisted with the care of nearly 90 Morgan horses from a property in Madison County, Montana. These horses were seized under court order as part of an investigation into alleged animal cruelty. Some of the horses appeared to be underweight and suffering from untreated medical conditions, injuries and hoof issues.  

Before seeking the support of the ASPCA for ongoing and in-depth care of these rescued horses, the Humane Society of Western Montana (HSWM) collaborated with the Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), and with the generous support of two community members, provided basic care and hay following the removal.

For nearly three months, our teams remained on the ground, providing these horses with daily care and veterinary services, ensuring that they received the support they needed until legal disposition was determined. Our team lead the efforts to ensure the horses receive proper husbandry and medical care and is supporting the criminal case to help ensure the best legal outcomes for these animals.

In April, the ASPCA was finally granted legal ownership of these horses. We recently held a local adoption event for the horses ready for homes, and more than 60 of them found new families, including Willow, a filly not yet 1 year old, and Dorothy, an aged former broodmare just looking for a loving retirement home. Other horses from this group were transported to our equine partners in the region, where they will help them recover and continue on their journeys to new homes.