Mérida, Yucatán — The abused work horse rescued by police last August in the Centro is on the mend. And thanks to an adoption from an expat in the city, Paluso now a resident of the Yucatán Polo Club.
The coffee-colored horse was seized from its previous owner after a citizen complaint. Paluso was underweight, dehydrated and had visible lesions while being being forced to haul a cart with heavy sandbags.
A judge ruled that the former owner, a tierrero, could not demonstrate his ability to properly care for Paluso, so the horse had remained at a municipal stable.
While at the Animal Control Center of Mérida, intensive care began immediately with a regimen of vitamins, wormers, antibiotics and special food, coupled with clean water and physical therapy. After two months, the quadruped is already even a little overweight, according to media reports.
So now a very giving expat from the United States, Kimberly Dawn, has adopted him, and will keep him boarded at the Polo Club. Dawn is known for connecting expats who can give with people in need, and that generosity is often extended to four-legged creatures as well.
Four-year-old Paluso is still a little shy because he has not had close contact with people. At the Polo Club, he will be enlisted in riding lessons for children. A city veterinarian said that in time, with enough love and affection, his attitude will brighten.
The handoff was timed for World Animal Day, and the first anniversary of the city’s animal protection unit, on Tuesday. The unit has put Mérida at the forefront of animal protection in Mexico, the mayor proclaimed yesterday.
With information from Sipse
