One of five horses rescued from a Langley farm last week has had to be put down.
The Surrey SPCA said everything had been done to save the emaciated animal, but it would not recover.
The rescue of the horses came after the SPCA was told of a horse being used to pull a car out of a ditch, something the agency said should never happen.
That horse, too, was put down after collapsing.
The remaining four horses remain in the care of the SPCA.
Animal cruelty charges are pending against the farm's owner.
Those wanting to donate to SPCA horse fund can make cheques payable to, the SPCA Horse Fund and mail to:
SPCA Head Office,
1245 East 7th Avenue,
Vancouver, B.C., V5T 1R1
Meanwhile, the SPCA in Vernon has been left to defend itself from criticism that it doesn't do enough for neglected horses left abandoned near Vernon.
A local horse rescue operation leveled the charges.
Carla Christman of the Vernon Horse Rescue first told CTV in the summer she was rescuing horses and taking care of them without the help or input of the SPCA. She showed animals had been badly abused before coming to her.
"I just don't understand why the SPCA can't be a little more proactive here," she said.
"They [the horses] were skin and bone, every rib, every bone in their back was showing," she said.
Four months later, the burden of her work has led to the Horse Rescue Operation being under financial strain and she says that the SPCA only cares for cats and dogs and not larger animals.
"It's been very clear all along, that they are not going to contribute to the welfare of the horses," she said.
Bonnie Price of the SPCA disagreed and said they would be willing to help the Christman's horse rescue.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Kent Molgat.
