COROLLA, N.C. (AP) - A wild horse on the North Carolina coast has died after officials say it choked on an apple, leading to warnings for people not to feed the herd.
The Corolla Wild Horse Fund said on its Facebook page that a yearling colt named Danny choked on an apple last Friday, and blamed his death on “humans who had no regard for the safety of the horses. No regard for the laws put in place to protect the horses.”
According to the organization, its veterinarian found the horse on Friday morning and administered a sedative to try and relax the horse’s esophagus and allow the obstruction to pass. But it was discovered that the apple had been lodged long enough to cause an infection and rupture his esophagus, the organization said.
Officials also thin Danny likely suffered head trauma from thrashing about trying to loosen the obstruction, and also could have suffered bleeding in its lungs.
People should not feed horses, touch the horses or interact with them, according to rules in place to protect the herd that roams the beach north of Corolla.
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