Three Horses Die After Collision

24 July 2013, 08:11 | Updated: 24 July 2013, 08:16

Hampshire animal rescue specialists and fire crews rescued seven horses following a serious collision, but three died.

It happened when a trailer, carrying 10 horses, collided with another lorry on the eastbound carriageway of the A303 near Thruxton just before 4 p.m. on Tuesday 23rd July.

The accident caused the trailer to turn on its side, three animal rescue specialists worked with vets to first sedate the animals and then remove them one by one from the overturned vehicle.

Watch Manager Jim Green, one of the animal rescue specialists in attendance, said: "This was one of the most difficult and challenging animal rescues we have been called to in Hampshire.

"Generally we get called to deal with the rescue of one animal so to deal with 10 horses in one incident was significant.

"We quickly put a plan in place and our crews managed to cut away part of the back door of the trailer. We were able to corral each of the animals out of the trailer and triage them as they exited."

Thanks to the efforts of the crews, seven of the horses survived the collision and were taken to veterinary hospital. Sadly one horse was killed in the collision while two more had to be put down at the scene. The drivers of the two lorries were not seriously harmed in the incident.

Crews from Andover, Winchester, Brockenhurst, Eastleigh and Lyndhurst assisted with the rescue of the animals.