Husband and wife banned from keeping horses
A couple have been banned from keeping horses for life after they failed to treat their equines for laminitis.
Edwin and Sylvia Pope of Wistanswick, Shropshire, both pleaded guilty to five charges each under the Animal Welfare Act.
All offences took place between February and May 2014, and involved four Shetlands and a cob mare.
Mr Pope admitted two counts of causing unnecessary suffering by leaving laminitis on four out of five animals untreated.
Mrs Pope pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering through another person failing to treat the laminitis and her, being the owner, allowing this to happen.
Both also pleaded guilty to three counts including failing to provide routine farriery attention and hoof trimming to all the ponies and horse, failing to limit their food leading to their obesity and failing to adequately inspect them on a daily basis.
The couple appeared before Shrewsbury Magistrates Court on Thursday (13 November) and were banned for life.
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“This was a very upsetting case. One of the horses simply couldn’t move (pictured right) and had to be carried from the field by five people,” said Inspector Nayman Dunderdale.
“Unfortunately they hadn’t been checked every day. They had been left to grow overweight and were suffering with laminitis.
“We would advise people to check their horses regularly, at least once a day. If you are struggling then seek help.”
The pair currently have some horses left in their care, which must be rehomed within 28 days.
Mr Pope was also given a community order of 60 hours unpaid work and Mrs Pope was given a curfew order from 7pm to 7am. Both were ordered to pay £500 each plus a £60 victim surcharge.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.