A Canadian farmer has died after a horse was put in an untidy cage and left for days without food or water.
Staff at the Ontario Farm Animal Rescue Society said their horse, Tia, was put to sleep in a cage at a farm in the Ontario town of Kingston.
Tia died on Sunday, according to a statement from the Society.
Tiamat was put up for adoption in November after being rescued by the society.
The farm owner, whose name was not released, told CBC News she was “shocked” and “broken” by Tiama’s death.
She said the animal’s cage had been left unattended for several days and it was “a big mess” that caused it to become so dirty.
“It was just a really, really big mess,” she said.
“The floor is covered with dirt and there was a lot of stuff there.
There were pieces of meat in there.”
The farm’s owner said she would try to clean up the mess before euthanizing the horse.
“I think she was really scared.
I think she felt like she was about to die,” the owner said.
Staff said they have had to put Tiamas new litter box into the cages of some of the horses they rescue and take care of.
“This is one of the most difficult animals I’ve ever worked with,” said volunteer and foster mother Tracey Tapp.
“We don’t know how to treat it, we don’t have any tools to treat her.”
Tiamadah Tiamamat is the oldest of four children, and was the foster daughter of the Ontario farm owner who died.
The Society said it would like to see more humane ways of handling animals at farm facilities and adopt them if they are in danger.
Taimat is survived by her foster mother, and three sisters, and two brothers.