A man whose two pregnant cobs were in “appalling condition” has been given an eight-week prison sentence and banded for keeping horses for 10 years.
Struggling to move
Redwings Horse Sanctuary and the RSPCA were called to a barn in Diss, Norfolk in February 2014 where Marilyn and Baby were found with no food or water and surrounded by rubbish.
Both were infested with lice and worms and were emaciated. An attending vet gave Marilyn a body score of 1.5 out of 5, and Baby 0.5 out of 5.
“I have never seen an animal so thirsty that they had to lick moisture from damp concrete before. It was shocking,” said RSPCA inspector Jason Finch. “Baby was so thin and exhausted that she was struggling to move around and actually lay down while we were there because she was so weak.
Orphaned foal
Norfolk Police seized the horses and placed them in the care of Redwings. Marilyn gave birth to Norma Jean, buthad to be put to sleep at a later date. Baby also remains in Redwing’s care, but sadly her foal did not survive – although shehas adopted Marily’s orphaned foal.
“When we brought them back to Redwings we also discovered that both mares had chronic liver damage due to ragwort toxicity, which should never have been allowed to happen,” said Redwings welfare vet Roxane Kirton.
“Tragically in Marilyn’s case this meant she sadly had to be euthanased on humane grounds, leaving her foal Norma Jean as an orphan.”
Not be tolerate
Mandro Jones pleaded guilty to cruelty and was sentenced to prison for eight weeks and also disqualified from keeping horses for 10 years.
“I am very pleased that this strong sentence sends out a clear message that this kind of extreme neglect will not be tolerated by the courts.”
said Roxane Kirton. “The lack of regard for providing even the horses’ basic needs, including food and water, was heart-breaking.”