Welsh breeder jailed for cruelty to ponies
A breeder from Wales has been jailed for 10 weeks for causing unnecessary suffering to 51 Welsh mountain ponies.
Evan Lloyd Evans, 69, was jailed and banned from owning animals for 10 years earlier this month (19 November), for keeping horses in “appalling” conditions at Cricieth Stud, Gwynedd.
9 of the horses in his care had to be put down to prevent further suffering when the RSPCA visited his yard in July 2012. A further 50 horses were removed.
Distressing videos showing the ponies’ living conditions were shown to Caernarfon magistrates’ court in north Wales.
RSPCA inspector Mark Roberts said the case highlighted how “over-breeding and overstocking can spiral out of control”.
“This is a fair sentence and sends a strong message to all horse owners and breeders that they must put the welfare of their horses before all else,” he added.
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Sophia Heath joined Horse & Hound in July 2013 having previously worked for the Daily Telegraph's Olympics website, CNN International and Omnisport. A Durham graduate with a Masters in journalism from City University, Sophia has evented, showjumped and hunted. Sophia left Horse & Hound in early 2015 to join an international boating website.