Dozens of horses seized last month from a Town of Aurora farm are being taken to foster locations.

The horses are being moved from one undisclosed location to several other locations in the

area over the next two weeks, said Gina Browning, public relations director for the SPCA.

The SPCA removed 73 horses March 18 from the farm owned by Beth Hoskins after reports that

they were being maltreated. Conditions at the farm were "highly unsanitary," the SPCA said,

with horses standing in more than a foot of manure, and some were caked with feces.

Several horses needed extra medical care and were taken to the SPCA's farm at its location

at 205 Ensminger Road, Town of Tonawanda. They are doing much better, Browning said, and seven

or eight additional horses will join the two that remain there.

"The ones on meds will continue to stay on meds," she said.

SPCA staff also will be caring for the horses in the other locations, including daily

routine care, as well as some behavior modification, Browning said.

"Some of these horses don't appear to be socialized," she said, adding that some show signs

of stress when they go outside or come in contact with people.

The SPCA also took 53 cats and four dogs from the farm. The dogs and two of the cats have

been returned to Hoskins, Browning said. Hoskins has signed an additional 41 cats over to the

SPCA. The other 10 cats remain part of the case, she said.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals donated $10,000 to the SPCA

to help care for the horses, and others in the area have donated money, supplies and in-kind

donations.

"People have come through. We keep asking, and they keep giving," Browning said.

Hoskins, through her attorney, has denied charges of neglect or cruelty. The SPCA said

formal charges are pending but have not been brought against her. Browning said she did not

know when charges might be brought.