Latest from Horse & Hound in Emaciated-horses

Father and son found guilty of cruelty

Sophia Heath — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 13:55:09 +0000

A man has been sent to prison for four months after 16 horses, ponies and a donkey were found emaciated. His son also admitted to 13 welfare charges.

David Bickell, 45, and William Bickell, 17, were sentenced at King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court, Norfolk, yesterday (Thursday 2 October).

David Bickell admitted 14 charges and was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment — the maximum term the judge could award — in light of the guilty plea.

One horse (Dibble) as he was found on the day of his rescue (Image credit: creditUnknown)

The judge said David Bickell was “not fit to be anywhere near animals” – having previously been convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to a mare in 2011. He was also disqualified from keeping all animals for 15 years, which he is not permitted to appeal for 10 years.

William Bickell admitted 13 charges and was ordered to pay £85 costs, plus a £15 surcharge, and given a six-month referral to the Youth Offending Team.

Norfolk Trading Standards and the RSPCA brought a joint prosecution against the pair following a call from a concerned member of the public to World Horse Welfare in mid-December 2013.

World Horse Welfare’s field officer Jacko Jackson, who visited the site said: “The condition these animals were found in was truly terrible. One colt in particular, a piebald yearling named Eric, stands out in my mind: Even through his winter coat you could see that he was emaciated, with a body condition score of just zero. Eric was very quiet and weak, stumbling in walk, and sadly had to be put to sleep for welfare reasons.”

Dibble after care from World Horse Welfare (Image credit: creditUnknown)

A further nine ponies belonging to David and William Bickell were removed from several different sites in north Norfolk and taken into World Horse Welfare’s care following visits.

“This prosecution is the culmination of a lot of hard work from all the agencies involved,” said Mr Jackson.

“Although three of the ponies in this case have either been put to sleep for welfare reasons or passed away, one mare has already made such a great recovery and has successfully been rehomed. The other nine continue to thrive.”

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‘Most emaciated horse ever seen’ makes full recovery thanks to charity

Caroline Bankes — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 09:45:10 +0000

The “most emaciated horse ever seen” by the Horse Trust has made a full recovery following six-months rehabilitation.

Polly was found with two other mares in a large cornfield near to the M25 in Chalfont St Peter in February.

One mare was so weak she had collapsed and was unable to stand. She was euthanased. Her companion Penny also had to be put down by the Horse Trust’s vet after a week because she had an eruption of encysted worm larvae.

Polly in February (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Jeanette Allen, chief executive of the Horse Trust said Polly’s condition was “so terrible” that only recently “could we be totally sure she would pull through.”

The mare’s weight had refused to stabilise, but by late July it had reached 466kg.

“The biggest risk to her was refeeding syndrome. We built her up slowly, moving her from smaller to bigger paddocks. She couldn’t go out with others as she was so frail,” said Jeanette.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

With her recovery complete, she was turned out with the rest of the herd at the Horse Trust earlier this month (6 August).

“Every day Polly enjoys from now is a bonus. It won’t be the end of treatment for her, but it is the beginning of her new life. She has been worth every moment of the heartache,” added Jeanette.

More information on the World Horse Trust

Owner found guilty in court after emaciated horse dies

Martha Terry — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 10:11:06 +0000

A Hertfordshire horse owner has been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a pony, which died due to neglect. The trial took place at Hertfordshire Magistrates Court last Wednesday (16 April).

Wendy Hayes’ Champers — a Cremello mare — was in a state of severe emaciation when an RSPCA inspector visited last February. She was removed from the field in Hertford Heath on vet’s advice and died 2 days later following a prolapse.

The court heard that Ms Hayes, of Broxbourne, was an experienced horsewoman and stable owner who had given the pony to a friend. When the friend was unable to look after the pony, she had passed her back to Ms Hayes. Due to a dispute over the ownership, Ms Hayes admitted that she had not attended to her regularly.

Sentencing is expected on 19 May at Stevenage Magistrates Court. Under the animal welfare act, the maximum sentence is a £20,000 fine and/or up to 6 months in prison.

More than 30 emaciated horses rescued from Caerphilly

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:56:38 +0000

More than 30 emaciated horses have been rescued from Wales.

Redwings Horse Sanctuary said the suffering of the horses was “easily on a par” with the Amersham rescue in 2008, where more than a hundred horses were found in a dreadful condition at Spindles Farm.

“It was an horrific scene, with many extremely weak and malnourished ponies,” Redwings’ head of welfare and vet Nic de Brauwere said.

“There was virtually no grass so while the site appeared very scenic, there was little or nothing for them to eat. They are in varying stages of emaciation — we have given them a condition rating which matches the Amersham horses.

“Some of the horses are already dead, and others would almost certainly have died if we had not intervened when we did. I can only describe it by saying it was as if they were queuing to die. It was an utterly depressing and heart-breaking scene I hoped I would never have to witness again.”

The horses were taken from two sites in Caerphilly on Wednesday (20 February) and yesterday(Thursday 21 February).

Caerphilly Borough Council’s trading standards department led the rescue and Redwings sent three lorries, two vets and eight handling staff to the site to bring back 26 horses and ponies to the Norfolk sanctuary.

Four others have been taken to HorseWorld in Bristol, while four more, which the charities suspect belong to the same people, have already been removed to the SWHP charity in Monmouth.

For more information, or to donate, visit: www.redwings.co.uk

Appeal after emaciated ponies found in Scarborough

Charlotte White — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:33:01 +0000

The RSPCA is appealing for information after a dead pony, and another barely alive, were removed by inspectors from a field in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

The RSPCA received a call on Sunday 6 December from a concerned member of the public reporting the emaciated condition of the ponies on Oliver’s Mount Road.

Inspectors removed a dead bay mare from the field and a very weak bay male pony.

RSPCA inspector Alison Wilkinson said: “This is a very upsetting case where these horses have apparently been denied their most basic needs.

“Both horses were horrifically thin and there appeared to be no water or decent grazing for them in the field where they were being kept.

“We had to remove the body of one horse which had already died. The other was so weak he could barely stand. Thankfully we were able to remove him and take him to a local vet where he is currently receiving treatment.

“If anyone has any information, or knows who may have been responsible for these horses, we would urge them to contact us immediately. The sooner we get to the bottom of this shocking and upsetting case the better.”

Anyone with information should call the RSPCA national cruelty and advice line on 0300 123 4999 and ask to leave a message for Alison Wilkinson. Calls are in confidence.

Emaciated ponies rescued by British Horse Society

Horse & Hound — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:18:07 +0000

Two emaciated ponies found in a field in Lincolnshire have been removed by the British Horse Society (BHS) and the police.

A spokesman for the BHS told H&H: “The BHS has arranged with police to rescue two horses after they were assessed by a vet in the Burghley area. The horses are currently on their way to a place of sanctuary.”

A senior welfare officer, together with Lee Hackett, head of the BHS welfare department, visited the horses following mounting public concern.

The story has escalated since 7pm last night when a concerned local resident posted pictures of the ponies on the Horse & Hound forum.

More to follow.

Emaciated ponies being assessed by British Horse Society

Horse & Hound — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:20:00 +0000

The British Horse Society (BHS) is this morning assessing the welfare of two emaciated ponies in Stamford, Lincolnshire.

A senior welfare officer, together with Lee Hackett, head of the BHS welfare department, are with the ponies following mounting public concern.

The story has escalated since 7pm last night when a concerned local resident posted pictures of the ponies on the Horse & Hound forum.

A BHS spokesman said: “This is a legal matter so we can’t comment further at present, but we hope to be able to say more this afternoon.”

World Horse Welfare has said this morning that it attended the ponies in late August, following a tip-off from a member of the public.

The charity attended with a vet, who stated the ponies were not suffering.

A spokesman for World Horse Welfare said “our hands are tied”.

“We visited the two ponies in question and we are concerned about the condition they are in.

“In conjunction with the RSPCA, we arranged for a vet to examine them and the vet has stated that they are not suffering.

“We will continue to monitor the situation but without a veterinary report to confirm they are suffering, we are unable to take any further action and must work within the law as laid out in the Animal Welfare Act section 18:5.”

Horse & Hound will continue to monitor the situation and update this story.

Couple convicted over emaciated horse

Trevor Cooper — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:28:16 +0000

A Lancashire couple have been found guilty at Ormskirk Magistrates Court of causing unnecessary suffering to two horses in their care.

Their 16.2hh 21-year-old Thoroughbred gelding called Dusty (pictured below) was found in an emaciated state by International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) field officer Chris Williamson and RSPCA inspector Ian Robertson on 28 September last year. They also found a “very thin” 15hh 16-year-old part-Thoroughbred mare called Amber.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Inspector Robertson said: “We took one look at them and realised the situation was beyond help and advice. We seized the horses after a vet had examined them.”

He said they had been living on barren land without regular supplementary feed.

Steven and Carol Jennings of Sutch Lane in Ormskirk were both given a 10-year ban on keeping horses and each was ordered to pay a £250 contribution towards costs. Mrs Jennings was also given a 12-month conditional discharge while Mr Jennings was ordered to carry out 80 hours of community service to be completed within 12 months.

Amber and Dusty are “doing well” at ILPH Penny Farm in Blackpool. Suitable loan homes will be found for them in due course.