A Florida horseback riding center has reached a settlement with a feed company that supplied tainted food that poisoned 22 horses.
At least six horses at the Masterpiece Equestrian Center in Davie have died after consuming food produced by Lakeland Animal Nutrition in September, the Associated Press reported. The rest of the horses will worsen in condition and will likely die from the contamination, which officials confirmed was caused by monensin poisoning.
The terms of the settlement, reached last week, have not been released. But attorney Andy Yaffa, who represented the horse center and some of the horse owners, said the settlement is enough to provide care for the sick animals and to purchase new horses. The horses range in price from $25,000 to $100,000 and up.
As the horses' muscles become weaker, the only thing the owners can do is provide them with extra grooming, treat the animals to "spa days" and make them as comfortable as possible, the AP reported. Two horses had to be euthanized on Friday.
"The remaining horses continue to deteriorate- unfortunately," Yaffa said. "We knew they would but did not want to believe it. We also did not realize it would be so fast."
The food was contaminated with monensin and lasalocid, which are anti-bacterial additives that's safe for consumption in cattle and other livestock but lethal for horses. Lakeland Animal Nutrition recalled the product from Masterpiece after the first deaths occurred in October, the AP reported.
No other horses besides the ones at Masterpiece were reportedly sickened.
Yaffa said the feed company behaved "honorably" throughout the entire process, the AP reported.
"Although their beloved animals could never be replaced, it is our hope that this settlement will bring them some peace and allow them to continue pursuing their passion for equestrian care and sport," said Jonathan Lang, the feed company's general manager.
