A horse was attacked last week at a therapeutic ranch in Cranston, Rhode Island, according to the owner, who says he is heartbroken over the disturbing case of animal abuse.
Andy Calcione, director of Horses 4 Hope, says his brother found one of their three horses had been attacked last Friday afternoon inside their barn in the larger paddock.
"What happened to him, to me is personally, it's heartbreaking," Calcione told WJAR of what happened to "Spartan."
The 15-year-old paint horse had one blue eye and one brown, but the attack left him with a fractured eye socket, which led to his blue eye falling out.
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Spartan had only been at the sanctuary for a month before the attack happened, Calcione said, and they were worried this attack could cause Spartan to become standoffish with people -- but luckily that has not been the case, and he's still just as friendly as before.
Spartan is now receiving treatment at Tufts Animal Hospital, where Calcione says he is doing much better than expected.
"He is eating and nudging people looking for treats and has quickly become a favorite of the staff," Calcione said in an update on Facebook.
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Spartan sustained "very serious injuries to his eyes," according to Calcione, who adds that doctors told him it was a "clean smooth injury" -- meaning it would be highly unlikely to have been caused by another horse.
"I’m just heartbroken to think that this was most likely caused by another person or persons. I think of my poor boy just going over to the fence thinking he’s going to get a big hug or a treat or maybe a head rub and instead he ends up losing his eye," Calcione wrote in his post. "But understand this. He may have lost his eye but he will NEVER lose his spirit. He will be back in our barn being loved on by all of us and making children and adults smile and feel better just by being around him."
According to Calcione, who has been to visit Spartan as he recovers, they have to monitor for infection in his sinus, but the lovable horse is doing great -- eye bandage and all.
Calcione said he filed a police report with the Cranston Police Department, and they are investigating jointly with the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
