Efforts are underway to find the owner of a horse who was abandoned in Riverside County, California, near the Ortega Highway, west of Lake Elsinore on Monday, August 9. The 5-to-7-year-old horse was in such poor condition that he had to be humanely euthanized.

According to NetPosseID, the Riverside County Department of Animal Services is working with officials at Animal Friends of the Valleys in checking to see if there have been any open neglect cases.

Riverside County Department of Animal Services reached out to the public for assistance:

Friends, we’re seeking any information anyone might have regarding an abandoned horse near the Ortega Highway. The horse was discovered along North Main Divide Road, less than a mile from the Ortega Highway. The abandonment likely occurred Monday (Aug. 9), possibly during the afternoon. We were alerted later Monday night by a Good Samaritan. We’re hoping someone might have dashcam video of a horse trailer/license plate being hauled in that area — or might know who owned this unique equine, a sorrel and white paint horse. The horse, a male, possibly between 5- to 7-years-old, was in horrible condition. His body score was a 1 or, simply put, severely neglected. We were forced to euthanize the animal due to its poor condition. We will be working with our counterparts at Animal Friends of the Valleys to check if its officers had any open neglect cases.

Anyone with information is asked to email the animal welfare agency at shelterinfo@rivco.org

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