Abandoned foal found with ‘horrific wounds’

A foal has been found with ‘horrific wounds’, which her rescuers have no idea how they were inflicted.

Badly infected

The nine-month old filly was abandoned on a remote lane between Washington and Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, suffering with extensive wounds to her back legs.

“The vet who examined her predicts that Elsa had been suffering with these wounds for at least three days before she was found, as the area was covered in dead skin and had become badly infected,” said RSPCA inspector Jaqui Miller. “The wounds were so deep that her muscles exposed.”

The foal has been named Elsa due to the frozen weather in Tyne and Wear. It is not known how she came to be in such remote location, or how her wounds were caused.

‘Sweet pony’

According to inspector Miller the team at RSPCA Felledge Equine Centre are working “night and day” to treat Elsa’s wounds and make her comfortable.

“She is a very sweet little pony and even when she was receiving treatment from the vet she was very well-behaved and tolerant, despite the fact she will have been in a tremendous amount of pain from her injury,” she said.

“It looks as though she is going to make a recovery from this as the wounds have not gone deep enough to damage her muscles or tendons, but she is still very sore.”

Information needed

This is the third time in the last year that a horse has been abandoned on Follingsby Lane. A dog was also rescued there.

The RSPCA is appealing to the public for any information about Elsa. You can call its inspector appeal line in confidence on 0300 123 8018, and leave a message for inspector Miller.