DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — Three months after the Animal Rescue League of Iowa took in dozens of neglected horses from a property near Madrid, the animals are healed and available for adoption.

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office removed 46 horses from a rural property in November 2023 and charged the owner, 78-year-old Linda Kay Kilbourne of Johnston, with livestock neglect. Once the ARL took the horses into their care, they said the animals were covered in lacerations and bite marks from the other horses and were suffering from undernourishment. Now, the ranch manager at the ARL’s Second Chance Ranch said the herd is healed and ready for new homes. In total, 31 of the 46 horses are in the ARL’s care, with 21 at the ranch facility. See all the horses available for adoption here.

The reason the ranch successfully helped the herd recover is because of recent changes at the facility. Over the past two years, the ARL updated the stalls, outdoor paddock area and hired more staff to help them handle more animals. While the new facilities are able to handle the large herd, it is at capacity. By the end of March, the ARL is expecting more horses to join when five of their mares give birth; emphasizing the importance of getting horses adopted now.