Neglected ponies’ lives transformed
The Mare and Foal Sanctuary has been involved from the outset in a serious welfare neglect case at a Community Interest Company in Cornwall, after being contacted by a concerned member of the public in 2021. After monitoring the situation over several months, we escalated the case to the RSPCA, which decided to pursue a prosecution.
Our Equine Welfare Outreach and Advice team provided evidence in the case and Sanctuary Care staff spent more than 14 months nursing a large group of the rescued horses and ponies with life-threatening conditions back to health.
Court sentencing took place on 29 February 2024 at Truro Crown Court.
The rescue was another excellent example of multi-agency rescue work provided by National Equine Welfare Council members including The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, RSPCA, The Donkey Sanctuary and The Horse Trust.
We provided more than 14 months of rehabilitation to the equines, transforming their health, and are now providing permanent lifelong care to three of the Shetland ponies involved.
Senior Welfare Advisor Rebecca Sherrell was involved in the case. Reflecting on the rescue day back in 2022 she said: ‘It was the worst case I’ve ever worked on. I’ve never seen horses that thin before. They were lacking food, water and shelter in 27 degree heat. It’s a case that has really stuck with me.
‘Many of the equines were in a very poor state with conjunctivitis, lice, malnourishment, worm burden, overgrown hooves, heart conditions, alopecia, anemia and chronic inflammation. Their bones showed through their skin, and some were covered in paint brush marks from children’s parties. We also believe some were showing signs of severe depression. It was shocking to see, especially at a place which claimed to offer equine assisted therapy.’
We provided extensive care to the rescued equines involved in this case. Each horse had an individual recovery plan tailored to their specific needs, including veterinary visits, medication and food supplements.
After more than a year recovering at the Sanctuary, having fully regained their health, three Shetlands; Poppy, Sherbert and Lola now have lifelong sanctuary and are thriving.
We will be sharing more of the stories of the rescue and the individual ponies and horses involved in coming weeks. You can sign up to our mailing list here.
If you would like to make a donation to help more ponies like Poppy, Sherbert and Lola, please click here.
Due to capacity issues, the remaining nine have moved into the long-term specialist care of The Horse Trust in the southeast of England. We are both members of the National Equine Welfare Council and provide expert lifelong care to equines in need.
