An animal rescue organization in Union, MO, welcomed two new babies.
Six horses were rescued from Benton County in February by the Humane Society of Missouri’s (HSMO) Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACT).
When the horses got to the Longmeadow Rescue Ranch, workers saw two were pregnant.
The horses, now named Hermès and Fendi, were underweight, malnourished, and dealing with several parasites.
The staff at Longmeadow helped the expecting mothers to get better.
On April 30, Hermès gave birth to Prada, a filly.
The baby was standing an hour after she was born.
Staff members said that Hermès is a good mother to Prada.
Fendi had a different experience.
While veterinarians said there were some complications, Fendi gave birth to her filly, Chanel, on May 17.
Chanel was healthy, but for some reason, Fendi rejected the foal.
She was removed from her mother, and staff members are playing the part of mom to the young horse.
“This is a new situation for us, and although it’s far from ideal, we're grateful for the health of both mother and baby,” said Ranch Director Amanda Mullen in a release. “Who knows how much worse things could have been if these horses hadn’t been in Longmeadow's care at the time of birth.”
Veterinarians said foal rejection could be due to Fendi's previous mistreatment. They also said they do not believe this was her pregnancy.
Staff members said that Chanel seems unfazed by the rejection and is doing well.