Today an appeal was launched for a baby horse that is in a critical condition after being left abandoned by the side of the road in a north Essex village.
The four-month-old foal, named Gizmo by the RSPCA, was found without his mother near Ridgewell Caravan Park in Yeldham Road, Ridgewell, on Tuesday.
The organisation is aiming to raise £11,000 to help to pay for Gizmo’s care, and as of 11pm the appeal had made £1,592 from 127 donations.
When rescued by the RSPCA along with police and a local vet, the piebald cob was extremely underweight, riddled with lice, hypothermic, dehydrated and has pneumonia.
He is now fighting for his life at a veterinary centre, which has been overwhelmed with support from the public after it posted a short appeal on its Facebook page.
RSPCA inspector Sarah Elmy said: “Poor Gizmo was just abandoned without his mum and left to die by the side of the road.
“He was so weak he was just collapsed and couldn’t – and still can’t – stand, and you can see every bone in his body, he’s so thin. We had to carry him to the van on a rug.
“He was so keen to live, though, bless him. Even though he was lying flat out, he was trying to reach forward and crawl himself along the ground to get to grass.
“As soon as we propped him up he was nibbling, trying to eat from our hand. It was so heartbreaking.
“I just really hope he pulls through. He’s certainly trying his best.”
Carolyn Wise veterinary surgeon said: “It is touch and go at the moment. Gizmo is walking a fine line.
“But he is eating and trying to live so we have everything crossed he will pull through – he is such a lovely foal. He has melted all our hearts.
“It seems we are not the only ones as we have been overwhelmed by people phoning us wanting to help, after we put up a short appeal on our Facebook page.
“We are so grateful for such a heartwarming response. It just shows you how much people care.”
The RSPCA alone has more than 600 horses in its care nationally and receives about 500 complaints relating to horse welfare every week.
• To donate towards Gizmo’s care call 0300 123 0346 or visit his JustGiving page. Any surplus funds will be used for the rescue and treatment of other horses in a similar situation.
• Anyone with any information about how Gizmo was dumped should call 0300 123 8018.
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