SPRINGFIELD, Ill., March 13 (UPI) -- Southern Illinois horse owners are deciding what to do with many unwanted horses because of rising hay costs and low horse sale prices.

The increasing problem is severely affecting the region, which is the fourth largest contributor at $3.8 billion to the nation's equine industry, the Southern reported.

"Ideally, there'd be no unwanted horses, but we're already in a sad state of affairs with cats and dogs. It's 200 times worse with horses," equine veterinarian Nancy Kucera said.

Many horse owners claim they cannot pay the high price of hay to feed their horses or even afford to pay the $25 fee to sell them because some are selling for only $5 or $10.

"Many of the horse community's concerns are basically the same as that of most Americans -- the current economy, taxes, the environment, government restrictions and risk management (liability)," Horsemen's Council of Illinois President Frank Bowman said on the organization's Web site.