How to Rescue a Foal

While we like to think that everyone will love and acre for any foals brought into this world, that's not always the case. Some foals have no one to care for them and need help.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Baby Bottles

1. If you see a foal who appears underweight, is lethargic or is injured and not being treated, he may be neglected.
2. Don't approach the owners. Some owners are aggressive when accused of abuse and may threaten you.
3. Don't trespass to get the foal help. This is illegal and could end up with you in jail. Furthermore, the foal may be on a strict diet prescribed by a veterinarian and you could do more harm than good.
4. Call the authorities to report neglect. If the foal is within city limits, call the police department or animal control. If the foal is outside of city limits, call the sheriff's department or livestock officer. If you have a local rescue that deals with horses, place a call to them.
5. If the foal is in critical shape and you believe he's in danger of dying without immediate help, request immediate assistance and tell the officer you will wait at the location until they arrive.
6. Follow up with the investigator a few days after reporting the incident to see what happened. They may be unable to give you details, but they should be able to let you know whether or not they visited the property.

Tips & Warnings

• If the foal is not in immediate danger, be patient with the authorities. Sometimes it can take several days or weeks to build a case against a negligent owner.