Horses also becoming victims of foreclosure crisis

In the last few months, the Grace Foundation located in the El Dorado hills has been inundated with phone calls from animal owners seeking help.

"People are calling and calling and saying, 'Can you please take our horse?'" said Nancy Conley, director of volunteers at the organization.

The Grace Foundation of Northern California is a horse rescue and rehabilitation ranch that serves as shelter for unwanted, neglected or abandoned horses.

More people are looking to place their horses at the foundation because of skyrocketing feed prices and the foreclosure crisis that is forcing many rural homeowners off their property.

Conley said the foundation only works with county animal control departments so staff members are forced to direct people who call looking for help elsewhere. She said it has been "unbelievable" how many more people are looking to place their horses in a safe place.

For the full story, please see Monday's News-Sentinel.