WSU veterinarians, students provide care for neglected horses

PULLMAN, Wash. - Sixty-six horses removed from a Latah County, Idaho, property in connection to a neglect case are headed to new homes thanks in part to a team of Washington State University veterinarians and students who donated a day of care to prepare the animals for adoption.

Led by WSU equine veterinarian Dr. Ali Botting, a group of veterinary students traveled on Aug. 27 to Lewiston, Idaho, to provide vaccinations, deworming treatments, microchips, testing and general health assessments for horses in the care of Horse & Halo and the Idaho Animal Rescue Network.

'I'm proud of how our students and interns handled a long, hot day of work. This kind of experience lets us serve the community while giving students a firsthand look at a side of veterinary medicine they don't get in the classroom or the hospital," Botting said. "We're grateful to the Idaho Animal Rescue Network for the work they do, and glad WSU could be part of getting these horses to their new homes.'

The horses were seized June 5 and were temporarily being cared for at the Lewiston Livestock Market. Redheart said most arrived underweight and suffering from the effects of inadequate nutrition and routine care. The horses spent the summer recovering, receiving medical treatment and gaining weight. Following the visit from the WSU team, all but a handful were adopted to new homes.

"This year has been a challenging year for our rescue, especially for the equine aspect," Idaho Animal Rescue Network founder and director Jenna Redheart said. "Our equine cases have almost tripled. Without WSU stepping in to help, we wouldn't have been able to get these horses ready for adoption. It would have been impossible without them."

The WSU team spent roughly 10 hours working through the horses in the summer heat. Beyond helping the rescue organization, the experience gave veterinary students an opportunity to apply their training in a field setting while serving the community.

"These partnerships are important because of the community they build," fourth-year veterinary student Bertie Lau said. "Veterinarians and animal rescuers do different things, but we ultimately want what's best for every animal. It felt good to come together and make a difference."

(Q&A: Bertie Lau on experience of helping the rescue horses)

For fellow fourth-year student Erin Levine, the effort provided not only a chance to handle horses but invaluable lessons that can't be had in the classroom.

"Experiences like this are incredibly important for our education and development as future veterinarians," Levine said. "Working alongside faculty veterinarians in a setting like this allows us to learn while providing a meaningful service. We all went home with new horse-handling skills and a better understanding of what it takes to care for animals in a situation like this."

(Q&A: Erin Levine on experience of helping the rescue horses)

The rescue effort involved support from numerous organizations and individuals. WSU alumna Dr. Liv Brockhaus ('20 BS Animal Sciences, '23 DVM), an emergency veterinarian at Viking Veterinary Hospital in Moscow, Idaho, treated abscesses and other minor conditions, while Mandy Stuhan of Horse and Halo, based in Nampa, Idaho, helped coordinate adoptions.

Redheart said she is grateful for all her community partners, including the unseen role WSU plays beyond its Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

"People should know WSU doesn't just sit on campus waiting for patients to come through the door," Redheart said. "They're out in the community helping when animals need them most."

Media Contacts

• Josh Babcock, WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, 509-339-3423, [email protected]