Police are trying to identify a man who beat a horse multiple times with a whip then beat a dog in a “shocking and barbaric” assault.
Surrey Police has released CCTV images from the incident, which took place in Shepperton on 9 February, as they search for the man in connection with the animal cruelty investigation.
A spokesman for the force said officers were informed of the CCTV footage, which showed a man driving a single horse and trap “aggressively” along Laleham Road.
“Having stopped the trap and unhitched the horse, he proceeded to beat it multiple times with a riding crop. He then beat a lurcher dog in the trailer multiple times before the dog ran off,” said the spokesman.
“The horse and dog were later seized under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and are currently receiving medical treatment for their injuries.”
The spokesman said the footage is “too upsetting” to be shown in its entirety so it has been cropped and images have been released in the hope someone recognises the man and can help the police identify him.
“He is described as a white man with a stocky build and dark hair, wearing a black jacket and dark trousers,” he said, adding that the trap is wooden with white shafts, the horse is skewbald with a white harness, and the dog is black with white patches.
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PS Lee Donovan of the neighbourhood patrol team said the incident was a “shocking and barbaric assault on two helpless animals”.
“We are extremely keen to hear from anyone who witnessed this male prior to the attack on the animals riding around on local roads including any dashcam footage,“ he said.
“Surrey Police take animal cruelty extremely seriously and will be pursuing this offender.”
The spokesman said anyone who was in the Shepperton area around 2.30pm and 3pm on 9 February is asked to check their home CCTV, bicycle head camera or dashcam footage for any sign of a man driving a horse and trap in the area.
“We are looking for anything that may be able to help us identify him – no detail is insignificant,” he said.
Anyone with information should contact Surrey Police by either calling 101, completing an online form at www.surrey.police.uk, or by the force’s webchat service, and quoting crime reference number PR/45210013667.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
