Taoyuan-Due to a lack of prospective candidates, the deadline to apply to adopt four rescue horses has been extended until Feb. 28, the Animal Protection Office in Taoyuan revealed Saturday.

The four horses were rescued in August 2021 from a tourist farm located in Taoyuan’s Guishan District and have been listed for adoption since Jan. 7 after being nursed back to health.

Since no interested party had come forward to adopt the horses by the original adoption deadline on Jan. 28, the adoption date has been extended by a month until Feb. 28.

As three of the horses are from the same biological line, the office mandated that all four horses must be adopted together.

The case marks the first time that the city has put horses up for adoption, the office said.

The office added that those interested in throwing their hat into the ring must either be a legitimate exhibition center or an equestrian facility, and must also submit an adoption proposal.

A committee will then review the qualifications of prospective groups or individuals interested in adopting the horses.

Last August, the office investigated Taoyuan’s Spring Farm after receiving an anonymous tip that the farm was in violation of the Animal Protection Act.

Subsequently, the office discovered that the farm was keeping horses under poor conditions, with visible signs of neglect and malnutrition.

While the office had ordered the farm to correct the situation, two foals perished shortly after the investigation began, which prompted the office to rescue and relocate the four surviving adult horses to Qingjing Farm in Nantou County.

The party which gets chosen to adopt the horses will also need to pay for the fee charged by Qingjing Farm to take care of the four equines since Aug. 15, 2021, which is NT$1,200 (US$43) per day, said the office.

The four horses are a 16 year-old female miniature horse, an 8 year-old female pony, and two male ponies aged 6 and 7.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel