Veterinarian euthanizes sick horse in Cicero after welfare complaints

A veterinarian euthanized a 15-year-old horse named Jasmine early Monday after the Cicero Police Department and Central New York SPCA were called to a home on Fergerson Road over welfare concerns. The horse was in the front yard and unable to stand, turning a neighbor complaint into an emergency medical response.

CNY SPCA investigators had already been monitoring Jasmine and had visited the property the previous week after similar calls from the public. When the horse did not improve, investigators contacted her primary care veterinarian for an emergency visit Monday morning. The veterinarian determined Jasmine’s condition had deteriorated beyond recovery and euthanized the horse to prevent further suffering. The other horses at the residence were found to be in good health.

The property owner said she had cared for Jasmine for the previous two months after receiving the horse from a boarding facility in Central Square. She said Jasmine arrived with founder and laminitis and had gained more than 100 pounds while in her care. Police Chief Steve Rotunno said the owner will not face criminal charges, and CNY SPCA investigators could not identify a New York State Agriculture and Markets Law violation that applied in the case.

Concerns about the care or welfare of livestock and poultry go to local law enforcement or the local SPCA in New York, while some animal-related complaints are handled at the municipal level. Veterinarians in New York must report suspected animal abuse in good faith and may share records with police or SPCA investigators when cruelty is suspected.

Onondaga County also maintains an animal abuser registry, created in 2017, for people convicted of animal cruelty. There was no indication of ongoing animal welfare concerns involving the remaining horses at the Cicero property, and officers and the CNY SPCA will keep monitoring the animals during the forecast heat wave in Central New York.