Man arrested in Riverside County animal cruelty case after horse is euthanized
A Riverside County man was arrested Tuesday on felony suspicion of animal cruelty for failing to provide veterinary care for an injured horse that had severely ruptured tendons and had to be euthanized.
Officers responding to the Mira Loma home of Francisco Javier Ponce, 40, also found more than 100 illegal cockfighting roosters on the property, according to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
Officials were forced to euthanize the horse because its injuries were so severe, the department said in a statement.
Officers had responded to the home in the 6000 block of Marlatt Street after receiving a tip about the horse.
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-- Robert J. Lopez
Photo: Injured horse. Credit: Riverside County Department of Animal Services
EDITOR'S PICKS:
OMG. That poor horse. I wish they would throw away the key on the guy responsible for so much pain on this majestic animal. May he suffer the same.
Posted by: Lysette | February 15, 2011 at 05:03 PM
Toss his ass in jail, better years in prison. That poor defenseless horse.
Let him suffer exactly what the horse did!
There is no reason for this.
There are horse rescuers all over who would have come and gotten the horse. Bet he never called.
May the horse Rest In Peace!
Posted by: norma carlyon | February 15, 2011 at 06:30 PM
This is abuse that shouldn't happen to a living creature. The suffering is all over this horses face. Owner will not get nearly the punishment they deserve for this.
Posted by: jC | February 15, 2011 at 07:48 PM
Prosecute to the FULLEST !!
JAIL HIM !!!
Posted by: L.A Woman | February 15, 2011 at 08:25 PM
Does not surprise me that the person responsible is Hispanic. I have a friend who volunteers at a horse rescue in Nevada and most of the abused horses and mules they receive are from Hispanic abusers. It's cultural.
Posted by: boochie | February 15, 2011 at 08:26 PM
That is the MOST heart-wrenching offense against a helpless animal that I have ever seen. If only there was karmic justice, the person who did this, and probably does it to other helpless animals, is a rabid animal themselves and should be euthanized immediately.
Posted by: Valerie Vargaz | February 16, 2011 at 06:10 AM
Its so wrong how people hurt innocent animals for their open sick pleasure, these people deserve to be put on death row, after all its like their killing a human, the only difference is that animals aren’t able to speak up for themselves.
Seeing this picture kills me, I really don’t get how you can harm an animal so severely. It’s wrong and people who do this are so demented and need psychological help IMMEDIATELY!!!
Posted by: Cilena Valles | February 16, 2011 at 08:28 AM
Wow, i was about to type why didn't they try to save this horse... the pain in that horses face looks outlandish. That's barberic... these animal agencys can take more of my tax dollars to stop more of this ANYDAY! Where can we sign up to give these people more money for more resources and employees?
Posted by: Montana Gold- | February 16, 2011 at 04:20 PM
The horse has a lot of injuries. Why would anyone who would do it cruel?
Posted by: Darnell | February 28, 2011 at 11:42 PM