Izzy and Belle: From need to nourished

Category: Blog, Summer 2017 151 0

For Izzy, a 20-year-old thoroughbred, and Belle, a 10-year-old thoroughbred mix, the intervention might not have been divine, but it was crucial.

When San Diego Humane Society Officer Allen Villasenor and his partner arrived at Izzy and Belle’s previous home in Escondido late last year, they immediately knew they needed to intervene.

“It was one of the worst cases of animal neglect I’ve seen in horses. Both were completely emaciated,” he says. “The life was just gone from their eyes.”

The previous owner agreed to let the officers take Izzy and Belle, and judging by their condition, it likely saved their lives.

“We got there just in time. They didn’t have long,” Villasenor says. “It wasn’t a tough call to make at all. These horses could not stay there.”

Both horses progressed incredibly once they were in the care of SDHS—especially Belle.

“When we got them back to the livestock area, Belle was just like a new horse,” Villasenor says. “She began responding to care; the light was back in her eyes. I’ll never forget it. It was like we felt her energy change.”

After about five months of care by SDHS medical staff, Izzy and Belle are in good health, and both have found new homes.

The rescue of what Villasenor describes as “the sweetest girls” is a prime example of San Diego Humane Society’s animal welfare outreach services.

“I deal with people more than animals, so education is a big thing,” he says.

That, plus a little bit of love and proper care, can work miracles for animals in need.


 



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