Your Horse reader's plea over dead horse
By Justine Thompson
General news
24 September 2009 10:03
A Your Horse reader has called on other horse owners to be vigilant over equine welfare after she found a staving mare in her neighbourhood.
Janette David from Abervare in Mid Glamorgan spotted the mare in a field a few miles from her home. She took photos of the mare on her mobile phone and posted them on the yourhorse.co.uk Forum, as well as forwarding them to the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare.
Both charities visited the emaciated bay mare the next day, where they found her dehydrated and in a poor condition.
Janette posted on the Forum that night: “Sad, sad news. I had a phone call from a friend who had gone over to check on the mare for me. When she got there, the poor girl was dead under a tarpaulin.”
Later Janette got calls from officers from both charities, explaining what had happened: “They said the mare was severely dehydrated and too weak to travel, so the vet came and euthanised her.”
The RSPCA was also in attendance, and have traced the owner with a view to pursuing a prosecution.
Janette said: “I am so angry this was allowed to happen, and so upset - though I am pleased the charities acted so quickly.
“I would like to think I’d done what anyone else would have on seeing a horse in such condition. But it’s a busy lane with dog walkers, cyclists etc. Why the hell didn’t one of them notice her, or the builders on the farm nearby?”