The finalisation of a second chronic neglect of horses case in two months has prompted RSPCA South Australia to urge people to be realistic about their capacity to afford the cost of caring for horses.
The case involving six horses that were being kept at a Mid Murray property finalised in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court late yesterday.
Charges laid against two defendants relate to offences that took place at the property from 22 May 2019 to 21 June 2019.
A 48-year-old woman and her adult daughter were jointly charged with ill-treatment of an animal
The pair were charged for failing to provide appropriate and adequate food to Xena and neglecting the maintenance of the foal’s hooves and teeth. Xena was found in an emaciated state, with a BCS (body condition score) of 1/9 and overgrown hooves that required intensive remedial farriery.
The six horses were:
- A six-month-old foal named Xena
- A 10-year-old mare named Bean
- An 11-year-old mare named Jules
- A 10-year-old mare named Aurora
- A one-year-old filly named Gypsy
- A one-year-old colt named Dancer
The older woman faced an additional six charges of ill-treatment of an animal in relation to another five horses. The neglect of these horses included:
- Underfeeding to the point of emaciation
- Failure to provide constant access to water
- Failure to adequately groom (some of the horses had lice)
- Failure to get a farrier to trim hooves (one mare required almost 7cm to be removed from her hooves to assist movement)
- Failure to get vet treatment for a serious and painful leg injury
- Failure to get vet treatment for a serious and painful jaw infection
- Failure to get equine dentist to rasp teeth1, resulting in some horses having teeth so sharp they caused injury and difficulty eating
An RSPCA inspector first attended at the property on 10 December 2018 in response to a cruelty report. The inspector observed 20 to 30 horses, most of them underweight and some emaciated. The inspector issued an Animal Welfare Notice directing the owner to seek veterinary attention for all the horses by 17 December 2018.
Over the next six months, RSPCA inspectors issued the older defendant with a number of Animal Welfare Notices. These legally enforceable notices required the defendant to adequately feed the horses and obtain the professional services of vets and farriers, within specified timeframes. Evidence of complying with the notices was required.
The six horses that were the subject of cruelty charges were identified as the animals of most concern when RSPCA inspectors attended at the property on 22 May 2019. On this occasion, the younger woman was home and accompanied inspectors as they assessed all 19 horses on the property. There was no feed in the paddocks and trees had been stripped of bark. Horses were observed eating or licking sticks, rocks and their own faeces.
On 29 May 2019 a second equine vet, Dr Daniel Sims, attended to assess the horses and identified welfare issues for 17 of the 19 on the property. In a report submitted to RSPCA and the defendants on 3 June 2019, Dr Sims stated that the overriding issue was a lack of nutrition, and that if four of the horses (Bean, Aurora, Gypsy and Xena) did not improve significantly over the next four weeks, then he recommended they either be surrendered or euthanased.
After repeated failures to comply with Animal Welfare Notices, the defendants agreed to surrender the six horses of most concern on 21 June 2019. The animals were transported to a temporary carer, where a farrier and a vet attended to their health issues over several weeks. The mare, Bean, was euthanased on 8 July 2019 after failing to gain weight. The remaining horses were surrendered to the care of a horse rescue organisation.
In the Port Adelaide Magistrates court yesterday, the older defendant pleaded guilty to all seven counts of ill treatment relating to the six horses. Magistrate Paul Foley convicted the woman and imposed a 12-month good behaviour bond. She was ordered to pay $9000 towards RSPCA SA veterinary and care costs and $600 in legal fees. His Honour ordered the defendant to forfeit any horses in her care to RSPCA SA and prohibited her from owning any horses for five years.
The defendant’s daughter pleaded guilty to the one count of ill treatment, which was her only charge. She received a 6-month good behaviour bond, with the same prohibition orders as her mother. She was ordered to pay $919.60 towards RSPCA SA’s costs. His Honour cited the defendant’s young age, lack of antecedents and lessor role in the offending in his decision not to record a conviction against her.
RSPCA SA Chief Inspector Andrea Lewis said the cost of caring for one horse, let alone 19, would be beyond many people’s budgets.
“We cannot stress enough the importance of understanding what you’re up for financially before acquiring a horse,” Inspector Lewis said
“You can’t just pop one in a paddock and forget about it – they have very specific care needs and ongoing maintenance, such as hoof and dental care.
“If people find they’re struggling to afford the costs, we urge them to either rehome or surrender the horse to a horse rescue organisation before the animal deteriorates.”
Under SA’s Animal Welfare Act, the maximum penalty for animal cruelty is $20,000 or two years’ imprisonment. For an aggravated cruelty offence, the maximum penalty is $40,000 or four years’ imprisonment.
RSPCA South Australia is the state’s only animal welfare charity with inspectors empowered to prosecute animal cruelty under SA’s Animal Welfare Act.
Members of the public who witness animal cruelty or neglect are urged to immediately call RSPCA’s 24-hour cruelty report hotline on 1300 477 722.
