A 9-year-old miniature horse was discovered and rescued on Monday after being stranded on a roof during torrential raining western Japan, but her young colt remains missing.
Leaf and her 1-year-old colt, Earth, went missing in the heavy rain on July 6 when Japan’s widespread flooding forced the staff of Life Town Mabi, an aged care facility in the Mabicho district of Kakehashi, to evacuate as the flood swept through the region on Friday, News.com.au reported.
#西日本豪雨 調査の途中で屋根の上に立ち往生する馬を発見！馬は無事確保され元の飼い主さんと再開できましたが、現状で飼えないため一時預かることになりました。引き続き真備町で避難所ニーズと医療ニーズ調査を行なっています。ヤフーネット募金https://t.co/MNOU8f3fHM pic.twitter.com/haG2ieUm2M
— ピースウィンズ･ジャパン (@PeaceWindsJapan) July 9, 2018
A rescue team from Peace Winds Japan, a non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting disaster relief efforts across the world, stumbled upon Leaf as they made their way to a temporary evacuation shelter.
A specialist team was rescuing the tiny, mud-covered horse from the roof of a private home near Life Town when she reportedly lost her footing and fell about 6 feet to the ground.
Thankfully, the mare survived and sustained only minor injuries to one leg.
Leaf, who was acquired from a farm in Osaka, is recovering at another farm whose employees worked with Mabi Farm, which was also severely damaged by the floods and rain, Japan Times reported.
It is still unclear how this miniature horse made it in the rooftop, but it’s believed that she used her natural instinct in the rising water to get to higher ground.
Local residents and animal lovers are posting photos of Earth on Twitter in an effort to find the missing colt and reunite the two horses.
この子
アースがどこかで元気にしてると
祈ってます｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ pic.twitter.com/aOdoNRgAry— たかくらあさみ (@asami0123) July 10, 2018
Twitter user @asami0123 tweeted out on Monday, “I hope this baby, Earth, is still alive somewhere.”
Featured Image via Twitter / @PeaceWindsJapan
