Blind, Starving & Near Death: Miniature Horse Rescued By South Florida SPCA

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Blind, starving and near death, a miniature horse is holding his own at the South Florida Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"He's a fighter, otherwise he wouldn't be here," said SPCA Ranch Director Laurie Waggoner.

The miniature horse was picked up Thursday after collapsing on a southwest Miami-Dade road.

It's unknown how long he had been without proper food and water.

A renter at the property on SW 197th Avenue said the miniature was barely alive when it showed up at the gate.

A short time later, a horse believed to be the mother of the miniature was found peeking through the fence.

"They either were abandoned and got off the property or they were taken and dumped," Waggoner said.

Both horses are thin, with the baby in particularly bad shape.

He is getting fluids, antibiotics and vitamins. He will also have to be tube fed.

Waggoner said he has likely been blind for some time.

"Right now the blindness is the least of his worries if we can get him healthy," Waggoner said. "We'll have an ophthalmologist look at his eyes."

One thing is clear – he cannot walk on his own. And of the dozen of horses brought to the SPCA in the past two weeks after being found starving and abandoned, the miniature is the worst shape.

"It's a day-to-day situation, but his blood work looks good," Waggoner said. "We're hopeful he's gonna survive."

If you would like to donate or adopt a horse, you can visit www.helpthehorses.org.