Woman given 10-year ban for horse neglect
A woman has been banned from keeping horses for 10 years after leaving 3 horses without fresh drinking water and not seeking treatment for 1 who was severely lame.
Tamara Lewis pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing unnecessary suffering to 1 horse and failing to meet the welfare needs of 2 others at a property in Steeple Claydon, Buckinghamshire.
Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court heard last month (29 November) that a chestnut mare called Penny was found in the worst condition suffering from an untreated abbess in her left fore and painfully overgrown hooves.
Penny and a pony called Silva were both meant to have been being cared for by Lewis on behalf of their owner.
The 2 horses and another bay gelding called Flanagan had not been given sufficient food or fresh drinking water and were in a poor condition.
Penny was removed on 7 January 2013 and received veterinary treatment. Flanagan was removed 3 days later.
The court heard that the RSPCA had given advice on numerous occasions and that Trading Standards had spoken to Lewis in the past regarding her animals.
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“The defendant seemed to think it is acceptable to just leave a lame horse, for horses to be thin because it’s winter and for them to go without a supply of drinking water,” said RSPCA inspector Kirsty Withnall.
“We always try to work with owners where we can to improve the condition of their animals, but sometimes people choose to ignore our advice and continue to fail in their responsibilities to the animals that depend on them.”
Flanagan and 3 other horses, that were also removed but not the subject of welfare charges, were cared for by Blue Cross. All but one have since been rehomed.
Penny and Silva were returned to their owner.
In addition to the ban, Lewis was sentenced to a 12-month community order and was ordered to pay costs of £600 and a victim surcharge of £60.
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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.