10 Horses Euthanized After Eating Contaminated Hay

Ten horses have been euthanized and their stable closed after the animals were sickened by hay that may have been contaminated with botulism spores, animal control officials said.

Bob Caron, owner of the Sunset Stables in South El Monte, closed the facility before five horses were put down Monday. The other horses were euthanized late last week.

Veterinarians suspect that the horses were sick from botulism, an ailment that is fatal in horses about 90% of the time.

“Apparently some of the feed the horses were eating was such that it would be conducive to having botulism spores in it,” said Ken Thomason, chief of animal health for the state Department of Food and Agriculture.

Caron could not be reached for comment. Officials said rodents are a possible source of botulism, explaining that they sometimes get into hay in late summer during hot weather.