The Républicain Lorrain reported that firefighters found the stray animal motionless on the hard shoulder. A veterinarian who attended the scene said the mare was in a state of shock and had suffered severe stomach injuries.
According to reports, the three-year-old mare had fallen from a trailer transporting her from Normandy to Austria via Belgium. The driver allegedly did not notice the animal had fallen out. Police were able to trace her owner via microchip to a racehorse breeder in Calvados who sold the animal to an Austrian buyer.
Surgery required to treat the mare has been estimated to cost around €8,000 - too costly in the eyes of the new owner, who recommended the mare be euthanised at the site of the incident. However, owners of a nearby stables in Macheren have taken the mare in and believe she can still be saved. The Moulin à Poudre stables has launched an appeal for donations to help pay for the treatment.
