As passersby walked along a sidewalk in downtown Atlanta early Sunday, their glee from a night out on the town quickly turned to confusion.
Within a block of Underground Atlanta, a brown horse was lying motionless in front of an ATM near the intersection of Peachtree Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at about 12:30 a.m.
While looking at the wild scene, a man remarked that he had “never seen this,” while another wondered if it was a stuffed animal, according to a video posted on social media.
Nearby, a steady stream of vehicles continued to observe the commotion while stopped at the busy intersection, the video showed. Within a few feet from the horse, a water jug was sitting on its side, perhaps from someone who wanted to help.
So how could this have happened?
According to officials, the owner came into the city for a ride early Sunday, at which point it appeared the horse had a medical emergency and died.
The owner then called 911 and was on scene when officers arrived, authorities confirmed. He will not be charged, according to Capt. Nicole Dwyer of the Fulton County Police Animal Services Division.
Taking horses to the city to ride is common practice for some owners, said Chris Emerson, director of field services for Lifeline Fulton County, which manages the Fulton and DeKalb Animal Services shelters. LifeLine also provides animal enforcement and field services in Fulton.
Emerson said there was no foul play determined in the animal’s death and that the horse was recently purchased at an auction from the Sexton Mule and Horse Company in Tennessee.
“The company who auctioned off the horse stated they rescue horses from being slaughtered and auction them off,” Emerson said. “They sometimes are unhealthy and the buyers understand this prior to purchase.”
When contacted Monday, the auction company declined to comment.
In a statement Sunday, Atlanta police said its officers and the fire department worked to safely and respectfully remove the animal.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has requested the police report and 911 call from the incident.
South Downtown ATL, a business development group, originally posted about the discovery on X, saying it was “aware of the tragic occurrence resulting in a deceased horse on Peachtree Street.”
The state Department of Agriculture confirmed to the AJC that it was not involved in the investigation, while Atlanta police did not answer follow-up questions Monday.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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