Jail for man who neglected arab horses

A Lancashire man has been jailed for 12 weeks and banned from keeping animals for life for neglecting five horses, by shutting them in stables with up to three feet of dirty bedding and no food or water.

Alan Brennan, aged 49, of Abbey Lane, Leigh, was sentenced at Wigan Magistrates Court on Thursday 21 February.

He had already pleaded guilty to:

• causing unnecessary suffering to a grey Arab-type colt called “Gandor”, a bay Arab-type stallion called “Solo”, a bay Arab-type stallion called “Palace” and a grey Arab-type stallion called “Orion” by failing to address the causes of their poor body condition and weight loss;
• causing unnecessary suffering to the four horses by failing to provide proper and necessary hoof care and maintenance;
• causing unnecessary suffering to Gandor and Solo by failing to provide proper and necessary vet care for their wounds
• failing to meet the needs of the four horses and a Welsh section A pony called “Martie”, by failing to meet their need for a suitable diet
• and failing to meet the needs of all five horses by failing to meet their need for an appropriate diet.RSPCA inspector Melissa Furey visited stables in Nel Pan Lane, Leigh, on 12 June 2012 after a call about a collapsed foal in a stable.She said: “When I looked over the door of the ramshackle stable Gandor (pictured) was standing but was underweight, weak and covered in faeces.“While waiting for a vet to arrive I examined the other horses. The environment was squalid, filthy, smelly, too small and completely inappropriate.“There was no hay, water or fresh bedding. Some of the horses were underweight with overgrown hooves and some of the stable doors had actually been nailed shut. I was totally disgusted with what I saw.“These horses were completely reliant on Mr Brennan and he failed them badly. They were trapped in these stables, in three feet of faeces with no food or water and no way out.”A further 17 horses, which were all in a normal body condition, were grazing in a field outside.All 22 horses were signed over to the RSPCA. Orion was put to sleep on vet advice as he was suffering from chronic laminitis, but the others have been rehomed.Mr Brennan has lodged an appeal against the sentence.

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