SAN DIEGO — U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Imperial Beach Station (IMB) discovered a missing horse in the Tijuana River Valley area on Wednesday.
On July 15, members of IMB’s All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Unit were in the Tijuana River National Estuary tracking a group of illegal border crossers. Going through the marshy area, the agents discovered a horse tangled in thick brush and summoned for help. A responding K-9 team and Horse Patrol agents joined the ATV team. Working together, the group cleared a path to access the trapped horse, which appeared to be weak and in distress.
Once freed, agents checked the horse for visible injuries and noticed that he had markings matching Ollie, a local horse that had gone missing two months prior. Agents assigned to the Horse Patrol Unit safely loaded Ollie into a trailer and transported him back to his local owners.
The owners, who had reported the horse missing in May, expressed their gratitude to the agents for ensuring Ollie’s safe return.
“I am proud of our agents’ work in recovering Ollie,” said Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke. “As public servants, Border Patrol agents regularly go above and beyond serving their community in many different ways.”
Ollie is now home safe and sound.