28 Horses Seized By Lincoln County Authorities

The horses, owned by a resident of Catawba County, have been placed in protective custody of the

United States Equine Rescue League (USERL)

, an organization that rescues and rehabilitates abused and neglected horses.

According to USERL investigators, the 28 horses seized Saturday had been neglected. Some of the horses were seriously underweight or injured, and several were pregnant.

"This is a case we have been working on with the owners since this year in January," USERL's Christy Whittington said. "We worked with the owners to provide education and help her make improvements."

But, without warning, the owner disappeared nearly three months ago, officials said.

Since that time, USERL has been working with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and Animal Control to decide the best course of action for the horses' well-being, Whittington said.

On Saturday, authorities seized the animals and placed them in protective custody. The decision on what charges were to be filed against the owner was planned for Monday, Whittington said.

Nine of the horses will stay at a quarantine area in Apex for two weeks and then be transferred to foster homes for rehabilitation, Whittington said.