An eight-year-old horse named Justice is suing his former Oregon owner for $100,000 in damages in a neglect case that is setting a rare precedent. 

The suit has been filed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund in Portland against former owner Gwendolyn Vercher, 41, of Cornelius, Oregon. 

Justice, an American Quarter Horse, was said to have been 300lbs underweight and had lice, a skin infection, and had a deformed penis as a result of frostbite.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in the Washington County Circuit Court, according to Oregon Live. 

Justice will need special medical attention for the rest of his life, but now lives in a horse rescue in Troutdale - with Kim Mosiman - after he was rescued from Vercher in March 2017.  

At the time of his rescue he was known as Shadow. 

State case law advocates for animals to have legally protected rights, according to one of the horse's lawyers, Sarah Hanneken.

'The Oregon legislature clearly established an anti-cruelty statute for the safety and protection of animals,' she said. 

'Victims of crimes can sue their abusers and animals are sentient beings that are recognized as victims under Oregon law. So with that premise, we've come to the conclusion that animals can sue their abusers and we're confident of our stance in this case.' 

All damages would go towards helping bring Justice back to good health and would go to his guardian, but the horse's ailments have hindered his adoption. 

Read more on dailymail.co.uk.