Riverside County Authorities Discover Neglected Horse, Cockfighting Roosters

Riverside County Animal Services officers arrested a Mira Loma man on Tuesday, after they said an investigation turned up signs of neglect and abuse.

Spokesman John Welsh said his agency received a tip from another county agency about the condition of a horse on some property located in the 6000 block of Marlatt Street.

When officers arrived, they found the horse suffering from ruptured tendons in its back right leg. The injuries were so severe, he said, the animal had to be euthanized.

Francisco Javier Ponce, 40, was arrested on suspicion of felony animal cruelty for failing to provide veterinary care for an injured horse.

While investigating the horse’s injuries, Welsh said officers also discovered more than 100 illegal, cockfighting roosters. Officers gathered cockfighting paraphernalia found on the property, and Ponce signed over the fighting birds to the Department of Animal Services for humane euthanasia.

Welsh said it is illegal in the state of California to own birds for fighting.