SPCA of Monterey County sees record horse intakes.

“Horses are not 1,000-pound dogs,” says Gary Tiscornia, executive director of the SPCA for Monterey County. Apparently this comes as a shock to some local horse owners.

Horse abuse and neglect complaints– and instances of owners dumping their animals at the SPCA– are way up, Tiscornia says. In ’06, humane officers received, on average, eight equine calls a month. In ’07, they averaged 15 calls. Thus far in ’08, it’s been about 19 calls a month.

When SPCA officers investigate the complaints, they often find skinny, malnourished animals or horses whose hooves haven’t been seen by a farrier in a long time. They also see hoarding cases, where an owner acquires more horses than he can care for. And some people simply chose to abandon their animals. “We actually have people calling us and giving up their horses, showing up with a trailer and giving us their horses,” Tiscornia says.

“Since the first of this year, we’ve had 13 horses come into our barn,” he says. “In a normal year, we’d handle about five horse cases– five all year.”

In previous years, when SPCA officers would investigate a case that didn’t require them to immediately seize a neglected animal, they’d typically educate the owners about equine care and the owner would comply. At follow-up visits, the problem would be fixed. “What they are seeing now to a much greater degree,” Tiscornia says, “is: ‘I can’t afford it. I want you to take my horses.’ ”

The economy is down, and horses aren’t cheap– nor is horse care. Farmers make more money putting corn into ethanol production (as opposed to food for humans or animals) and this makes grain more expensive. The cost of hay has risen 25 percent since 2006, Tiscornia says. Skyrocketing fuel prices mean it costs more money to transport horses– and to deliver grain and hay. Boarding is more expensive these days, too. “It’s almost a perfect storm of economic problems that are leading people to want to get rid of their horses,” Tiscornia says. And while folks continue to adopt kitties and puppies– and even older cats and dogs– they aren’t as likely to adopt an unwanted horse that will live between 30 and 40 years.

“In the last two years, we have not euthanized a healthy dog or cat at the SPCA,” he says, “and we certainly don’t want to be euthanizing horses. With dogs and cats, we’re having a good deal of luck placing them in homes, and that’s not going to happen with horses. That’s why we’re looking at it as a crisis.”

To make a donation to the SPCA, call 373-2631.