Cristina Hodgson
IN a distressing incident near Sevilla, Spain, a horse has tragically lost its life while another was discovered in a state of exhaustion after becoming ensnared in a reservoir, prompting an investigation into the owner’s role in the incident.
The tragic event occurred at a reservoir in La Puebla de Cazalla, a town situated not far from Sevilla.
Local authorities acted swiftly upon receiving a report from the Central Operations of the Civil Guard, detailing the predicament of two trapped horses at the reservoir’s shoreline.
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Officers from the Guardia Civil swiftly reached the location, verifying the situation before calling in the assistance of Seprona (the Guardia Civil’s Nature Protection unit) from Carmona, known for their expertise in dealing with wildlife-related incidents.
Upon arrival, the responding officers found that the water level had dropped significantly, leaving muddied terrain along the shorelines which had trapped the horses as they tried to access the water to drink, and they were unable to free themselves.
Unfortunately, by the time the rescue team had arrived one of the horses had passed away, while the other one, though alive, was in a state of exhaustion.
The rescue itself then presented a number of challenges. Firstly, because the reservoir can only be reached by vehicles from one side, and the horses were stuck about 300 meters away on the other side of the shore. Overcoming this difficulty meant crossing the reservoir’s water, which was made harder by the steep slope of the shore, which was more than 45%.
To help with the rescue, the Special Underwater Activities Group (GEAS) was called in, and they used a boat to reach the stranded horses.
The team worked diligently to guide the surviving horse to safety on the nearest shore, which proved complicated due to the fatigue of the horse who struggled to navigate the difficult terrain.
Since the rescue, the surviving horse has been under the care of veterinarians and is showing signs of recovery.
Subsequent investigation into the incident has uncovered that the individual entrusted with the horses’ care, had been aware of their whereabouts, but had not undertaken any measures for their rescue.
As a consequence, this person is now under investigation for potential charges related to animal abandonment.
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