Dead horse left on sidewalk in downtown Atlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Officials are investigating after a dead horse was left on the sidewalk in downtown Atlanta overnight.

A video circulating on social media showed the horse lying in front of Unity National Bank ATM at the intersection of Peachtree Street and MLK Jr. Drive, just across the street from the Fulton County Government Center. A jug of water was seen placed in front of the unmoving animal.

At around 11 a.m., officers said crews were working to remove the body.

“We kindly ask the public to avoid the area at this time to allow crews the space and safety needed to complete the process,” the police department said in a statement.

According to scanner traffic obtained by Atlanta News First, officers on the scene alerted dispatchers as to what they were seeing.

“At Peachtree Street on the sidewalk, there is a big ole horse lying here on the ground,” one officer said.

Another said, “there’s multiple males earlier tonight that were riding around here on horses.”

“I find it very unusual to see any horse in downtown Atlanta, much less that situation,” said Laurie Wilson, a professional horse trainer.

Laurie Wilson has trained horses for more than 25 years and spent seven years as a large animal rescue volunteer with Cobb County.

Wilson said the horse appeared healthy, with a good weight and shoes on.

“I saw nothing as far nothing as from a neglect standpoint. The horse looked very taken care of,” Wilson said.

Police said they were first called to the location at around 12:30 a.m. The horse’s owner told officers that the animal suffered a “possible medical emergency” and collapsed on the sidewalk.

“It is not unlikely that that could happen. And I say that unlikely, it can happen, but it is weird that it happened in downtown Atlanta, and then the horse is left lying there with no equipment,” Wilson said.

South Downtown ATL, the area’s real estate group, said they are reviewing cameras in the area with the help of the Department of Agriculture.

It’s currently unknown how the horse died, or why it was left.

This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First as we learn more.