Pony shot 130 times with a paint gun undergoes surgery
A 20-year-old partially blind horse who was found shot with a paint gun nearly 130 times is on the road to recovery.
The Arabian cross appaloosa, now named Lily, was rescued on 14 March in Pennsylvania, North America.
Animal cruelty officers at Lancaster County SPCA were called out by the management of the New Holland Sales Stable when Lily was found left on the premises after a livestock sale.
The grey mare was underweight, blind in the right eye and had been shot with a paint gun nearly 130 times.
SPCA officials said Lily had a low body condition and was sore to the touch.
After being treated by a vet, she was taken to New Bolton Centre by Omega Horse Rescue.
The centre is the large animal hospital at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine.
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She underwent an operation on 18 March to remove her right eye and to treat an ulcer in her left eye.
“We decided to remove [her] right eye because it was going to be a chronic long-term disease for her,” said veterinary surgeon Dr. Nikki Scherrer.
“The eye was permanently blind and no use to her, this way we make sure that she won’t be in pain.”
On 22 March her head bandage was removed and she looking “bright”.
The Lancaster SPCA has put out an appeal for anyone who has any information about the horse or her owners on its Facebook site.
No identification on the horse could be found when she was rescued.
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.