Jennifer Williams has been rescuing horses for 11 years. This summer, she's taken in a record number of them and expects the situation to get worse as drought conditions continue.
"This is the worst summer I've seen," she said. "A lot of times in August or September, we see a lot more neglect cases, but this year since we haven't had rain, there just hasn't been any grass. This year's been really tough."
The lack of rain has caused other problems. The price of hay has nearly doubled -- going from around $60 for a round bale to $100 or more.
In the past two months, Williams' Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society has taken in around 70 horses.
There's a fine line, she said, between horses that need to be seized from their owners and horses that just aren't receiving the kind of care that they should.
"We'd rather not take horses if we don't have to," she said. "Sometimes all it takes is educating the owners and keeping an eye on the horses' progress."
Brazos County Sheriff Chris Kirk agreed, saying it takes time to establish the difference between abuse and poor care.
"If the rancher or animal owner is providing sustenance and care, then it's down to a point where we just monitor the situation," he said.
"There's property rights and animal cruelty laws to consider, and it's a fine line," she added.
Williams said if people see horses they think are being neglected, they shouldn't feel foolish or nosy about calling for help.
"If there are citizens concerned about horses," she said, "I'd rather them call early than have someone finally complain because a horse died. At that point, the Sheriff's Office and district attorney can press charges, but we can't help at all."
Because of the number of seizures, the high cost of hay and the shaky economy, Williams said, rescue organizations are in need of help -- in the form of cash donations, people who want to volunteer their time and people who have land to offer. Just about any kind of help is welcome, she said.
Darla Cherry of Meadow Haven Horse Rescue in Nixon has also seen an increasing number of neglected animals this year. She said a lot of rescue groups, including her facility, are at capacity.
"As soon as I can foster or adopt one out, two come in," she said. "It's a revolving door, for sure, but that's what I'm here for. I'm in it for them."
It takes six months to a year and up to $200 a month to return a malnourished horse to good condition, Cherry said.
"Not just us," Williams said, "but rescues all over are feeling the pinch. Warm bodies, people who want to adopt animals: We need it all."
HOW TO HELP
* Meadow Haven Horse Rescue: 830-350-9031
* Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society: 888-542-5163
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