Horseowners banned for 10 years
Two women in East Anglia have been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering and been banned from keeping horses for 10 years
Two women convicted of causing unnecessary suffering to three horses by Lowestoft magistrates have been banned from keeping horses for 10 years.
Nicola Maguire, 28, and Michelle Palmer, 37, from Halesworth, Norfolk, admitted causing the three horses unnecessary suffering.
On 27 June magistrates fined Nicola Maguire £200 and ordered her to pay £85 costs. Michelle Palmer was fined £240 and ordered to pay £85 costs. Both were banned from keeping horses for 10 years.
The court heard that neither women had any previous experience of owning horses and instead of calling a vet had tried to treat them with herbal remedies.
RSPCA inspector Dave Mitchell visited the rented field on Holton Road, Halesworth, on 15 January after being contacted by an ILPH field officer. A member of the public reported seeing several horses, all in a terrible condition.
The Thoroughbred gelding and two coloured colts were found in a waterlogged field with no grazing or access to fresh water.
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Inspector Dave Mitchell said: “I was appalled by the condition of the three animals. There was no grass and the only water available was from puddles in the field.”
The vet who examined the horses found the Thoroughbred to be “pitifully thin” and suffering from severe dentistry problems. The two colts were also underweight and lame.
The horses were immediately seized by the police and taken to a local animal shelter where they were nursed back to health. The colts and the Thoroughbred have since made a full recovery and have since been rehomed.
Speaking about the outcome of the prosecution Insp Mitchell said: “I’m very pleased with both the outcome of the trial and the factthat all three horse recovered and have been rehomed. This case shows that magistrates are taking cases of animal cruelty seriously.“
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