Horse found dead, another injured in Englewood yard

Authorities are investigating after a horse was found dead Saturday and was being eaten by a dog in Englewood on the South Side.

Chicago police and Animal Care and Control were called at 4:19 p.m. for a well-being check on two horses in the 1000 block of West 61st Street, according to a statement from police. The caller “stated that the horses were not looking good, possibly deceased.”

Authorities arrived to find one horse dead at the property, police said. The owner was at the scene when officials responded.

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) wrote on Twitter that authorities responded to a “Gruesome scene in Englewood” and found one injured horse along with a Rottweiler eating the dead one.

Lopez said the horses were kept with no food or water, no shelter and that they were “covered in feces” and “left for dead,” calling for more regulations regarding farm animals in the city.

The owner of the horse, Leo Beltran, categorically denied that narrative and accused Lopez of making the whole thing up in a cruel publicity stunt that only exacerbates a family tragedy.

Beltran said the dead horse was 28 years old and was brought to Chicago from his 15-acre farm in Mendota because it was refusing to eat and needed “treatment” by a veterinarian.

The dead horse was “removed properly,” police said.

Chicago Animal Care and Control did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

No one is in custody Monday morning as the investigation continues.

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