A horse named "Paris" by SPCA officials was one of about 18 horses found on a property off of Paris Valley Road Friday evening, according to Dawn Fenton, community outreach coordinator of the SPCA for Monterey County.
Paris was seized because she was extremely dehydrated, was emaciated and could barely walk, Fenton said. The horse was taken to Steinbeck Country Equine Clinic near Salinas for emergency treatment overnight.
Fenton said the horse "responded very well" to the treatment, but its long-term prognosis is still unknown.
SPCA investigators headed back out to the property today, expecting to find the rest of the group of horses. About 3,000 gallons of waters were also brought for the dehydrated animals, of which at least four or five were believed to need immediate medical attention, Fenton said.
However, when investigators arrived at the property, no horses were seen anywhere.
"Apparently the horses have been moved," she said. "We're investigating where they may have gone."
The property where the horses were found Friday is believed to be in foreclosure, but Fenton said the organization "is still waiting on the facts on that part" of the investigation.
The SPCA is seeking information about what happened to those horses, and is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the abandonment of the horses.
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call the organization's humane investigations department at (831) 373-2631 or (831) 422-4721, ext. 213, or make a report online at www.spcamc.org. All reports are confidential.
"If people are having trouble with their animals, the SPCA is here to help," Fenton said. "Just give us a call and we're willing to work with people to protect their animals and take care of them."
