Horse pulled out of cesspool in North Great River, police say
Authorities say a horse was pulled from a cesspool that collapsed in North Great River on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017. Credit: Stringer News Service
A horse that was rescued Thursday from a cesspool in North Great River escaped death two years ago when he was purchased by his current owner the day before he was scheduled to be slaughtered in Louisiana, officials said.
Santino, a 6-year-old American Quarter Horse, escaped from his barn and was grazing in the backyard of a property on Oceanside Street when he fell into a collapsed cesspool about 3:50 p.m., Suffolk County police said.
The horse was up to his neck in water and waste when officers arrived and was rescued by personnel from the Suffolk County Police Department, the SPCA and three fire departments: Islip Terrace, Islip and Central Islip, police said.
The Islip Terrace department “pumped out waste and water that was threatening to drown Santino,” police said,
First responders called Barasso & Sons of Islip Terrace, which brought a pay loader to the scene and dug a ramp that allowed officers to pulled the horse to safety, police said.
A tow truck from Higbie Collision of West Islip also stood by with a lift boom, which was not needed, police said.
Police said the horse’s owner, Angelo Buonomo, 67, of West Babylon, purchased the horse two years ago, the day before the gelding was scheduled to be slaughtered.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the community where the horse was rescued.
