AMP has struggled to find a shelter for three horses left ” in the lurch,” without food or water, under the open sky, in Codlea.The irresponsible owner was fined and had to give uphis animals—otherwise he would have been held liable for abandonment and mistreatment.Cases in which horses are mistreated are so commonin rural areas that manyRomanians consider this fact a “habit”that may as well be ignored.
Horse-drawn carts are an idyllic image for foreign tourists, but they often hides serious violations of animal welfare.Beaten, hunched under the burden of overloaded carriages,starved, or kept in the cold,these horses are still a sad reality.
In October, AMP struggled to stopthe abuse ofthree horses in Codlea.The owner, who neighbors say isn’t able to careforhimself either, left his mare and foal to “manage by themselves,” so the animals had no option but to chewon the grass for a week in a park in Codlea.The owner’s actionsareconsidered abandonment, and the horses were at risk of being stolen or hit by a car.
The third horse was tied to a carriage and forgotten, without anything to drink or eat. His prominent ribs betrayed his hunger, and the dirt around him attested to his owner’s lack of care.The stable he used to live in caught fire last year, so the poor horse was left with just a piece of nylon for shelterfor another winter.
Notified by a local resident, AMP worked with the Codlea police to identify and chargethe owner. As a result of the legal complaint, the owner was forced to sell his horses to some locals who can provide them good living conditions: a stable, food, beets, and hay, as required by law.
This case represents just a drop of interest in theocean of abuse and mistreatmentsuffered by many horses from rural areas.Abandonment and mistreatment are no longer considered crimes.Instead, they’re seen as mere infractions, like not wearing aseat belt.
