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Rescue has unhappy ending as horse put down

Silver, a 19-year-old mare, had been pulled from pond on East Wellington Road earlier this week
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An old horse in Nanaimo failed to survive her rescue.

Silver, a 19-year-old mare that was mired in a pond and in danger of drowning Wednesday before firefighters arrived to help with her rescue, has died.

Silver’s owner Teresa Fraser said the aging horse was “laid to rest” Thursday on the advice of a veterinarian after the extent of her injuries were ascertained following her rescue.

Fraser said she had owned Silver for a little over one year.

“Prior to this accident, she was just an old girl who had arthritis and some other health issues,” Fraser said. “Falling into a pond wasn’t great for her.”

In addition to the horse’s pre-existing medical complications, the mare suffered several injuries while struggling in the pond, including a ruptured extensor tendon in one of her hind legs which would have prevented her from walking. Recovery was unlikely.

“She would not have had a good quality of life,” Fraser said. “She would have been kept in a stall for months and months and months and she would be stiff and it just wasn’t good … It was horrible. She did walk away, but that was due to shock as well that she was able to be moved.”

Silver’s last year of life was good, however, thanks to Fraser and B.C. Horse Angels.

Fraser said she bought the mare through B.C. Horse Angels, which purchased the horse at a meat buyers’ action in Salmon Arm, saving Silver from the slaughterhouse.

“A sweet old girl and I’ll miss her so much,” Fraser said.

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Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
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