According to the Houston Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, on October 17, 2011, a horse in south Houston fell 20 feet into a concrete well under construction.
Immediately upon being alerted by both the Harris County Sheriff’s Department and the horse’s owner, the Houston SPCA team loaded their rescue gear and raced to the scene.
Chief Cruelty Investigator, Charles Jantzen, assessed the situation and found the frightened horse standing in 4 to 5 feet of murky water, 20-feet down from the surface. Jantzen realized he would have to use special harnessing techniques to secure the horse in order to lift him out of the water and save his life.
Outfitted in safety gear, Jantzen lowered himself into the dark well, where he calmed the frightened horse and safely secured the harness around the 1,100 pound animal. A nearby forklift was used to slowly and gently lift the horse out of the well and onto dry land.
The horse was exhausted and suffering from minor cuts and bruises after his ordeal but was reunited with his owner. At this time, the horse is doing well and the Houston SPCA Investigations team will continue to monitor the horse’s condition and follow up with the owner.
The Houston SPCA is funded entirely by donations from caring individuals, community-minded businesses, and gift and grants from charitable foundations.
Caring for the over 100,000 animals in need each year is an expensive endeavor, and your generous donation today will help further our mission. Donating to the Houston SPCA is an investment in your community because your entire donation is used locally to benefit the animals of our area.
To learn more visit http://www.houstonspca.org