NJ Woman Looks For Owner Of Abandoned Mare

By Robin Rieger

ALLOWAY, NJ (CBS) -- A beautiful horse looks right at home grazing in a pen at 3-D Farm in Alloway Township. The trouble is that this isn't her home. For the last ten days, she's been cared for by farm owner Christine DuBois, after a passerby saw her running alone on Alloway-Aldine Road.

"I was on the back of the four-wheeler, hooked her up with a lead line, and she came trucking right on in here like, 'I'm glad I got a home,'" says DuBois.

Du Bois thinks the bay-colored Arab mare is in her 20s. She has a white sock on her left hind leg and was wearing the blue halter. She's in good condition.

"There was sweat marks to her, nothing that would indicate that she traveled a long way, so I figured she had to be local," DuBois says.

She called NJ State Police and animal control officer Ed Shimp, who checked with local horse farms.

"Somebody will call and tell me they've lost their animal," Shimp thought.

Since no one has called, they're wondering if someone abandoned the horse on the side of the road.

"I get a loss of words for why? Why would you do this to an animal? You just don't turn me out on the street if that's what happened," says DuBois.

"The economy, people losing jobs, vet bills are high...they just don't want to take care of 'em anymore," Shimp explains.

A woman who heard about the horse has offered to pay about $125 dollars for testing to make sure she's healthy and for any vaccinations she needs. The vet will then waive the fee for her visit.

And while DuBois can legally sell the horse after five days in her care and a notice to the public, she prefers to offer her for adoption.

"We're going to find you [a home] where you'll be a lot of loved," she says she told the mare.

If you're interested in adopting or know who owns the horse, call animal control officer Ed Shimp at 856-769-3481.