Special to IFN

Iredell County Animal Services, in coordination with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office and the N.C. State Highway Patrol, is actively responding to ongoing reports of loose livestock in the areas of Eufola Road and Lewis Ferry Road, and surrounding communities.

Since Monday, May 11, county agencies have been working diligently to locate and safely confine a herd of approximately 10 wild mustangs that escaped from a local property.

Iredell County officials stressed that public safety is the top priority in this effort. Because these animals have been spotted near major roadways, including Interstate 40 and Highway 70, motorists are urged to exercise extreme caution when driving through these areas, particularly during dawn, dusk, and nighttime hours.

Livestock owners have a legal responsibility to secure their animals. Due to a failure to properly confine the herd and a lack of required cooperation in the recovery efforts, both of the owners of the horses face a misdemeanor charge of allowing livestock to run at large.

Iredell County Animal Services continues to monitor the situation, patrol the impact zones, and respond to all citizen calls for service.

County officials ask members of the public not to attempt to approach or capture the wild mustangs themselves, as this may scare the herd and drive them further into traffic or dangerous terrain.

If you spot the remaining horses, please immediately report their location to Iredell County Animal Services or local law enforcement.