The owners of two neglected equines who were found underweight and suffering unnecessarily have been disqualified from keeping equines for 10 years.
The two filly equines known as Foxy and Rain had poor bodily conditions, a worm burden, lice infestations and overgrown hooves.
Jane Ann Hope (d.o.b 06/07/1965) and Peter John Hope (d.o.b 26/10/1959) of The Orchard, Powick, Worcester, attended Worcester Magistrates’ Court on Friday 10 January and pleaded guilty to seven joint offences under the Animal Welfare Act.
They were that they caused unnecessary suffering to Foxy and Rain by failing to adequately investigate or address the causes of their poor or underweight bodily conditions and that they failed to provide adequate or effective professional veterinary care and attention for their underweight or poor bodily conditions.
They also failed to meet their need for a suitable diet, failed to provide effective parasitic worm control programme, failed to provide professional farriery care attention for the hooves of their feet, failed to provide an effective treatment for their lice infestations and failed to provide effective treatment for its rain scald skin infection (full wording below).
They were sentenced to 12 weeks custody – suspended for 12 months for the first suffering offence – and for each of the other (six) offences they were handed four weeks custody suspended for 12 months to run concurrently.
They were ordered to each pay ÂŁ350 and a victim surcharge of ÂŁ154 and were disqualified from keeping equines for 10 years.
The court heard in mitigation that both were very sorry and it wasn’t deliberate cruelty but incompetent care whilst Mrs Hope was dealing with a debilitating illness.
In a witness statement provided to the court from RSPCA Inspector Suzi Smith she said she was on duty on 29 April 2024, when she was informed about a report regarding concerns about horses in a field in Martley.
On attending the field, she found six equines on a part of the field which was fenced off.
She said: “The fenced off area was approximately three acres and had no grazing left available to them, the ground was just mud or dried mud/soil. There was an automatic water trough, and along the gate side of the field was the remnants of what appeared to be straw, what was left was soiled.”
Foxy, a chestnut young horse, was wearing a blue rug.
Inspector Smith said: “The rug hung on her like she was a coat hanger showing angular lines along the spine and pelvis. I pulled the rug off her back to see her body condition.
“She had a clear shelf forming at the top of her rib cage where her spinal processes extend up, her pelvis was angular showing the bones clearly, and she had no neck muscle, she also lacked muscle between her hind legs and formed a gap.”
There was also a buckskin young horse, Rain, who Inspector Smith said was “very underweight”.
She added: “She had no rug on and had a fluffed up winter coat, despite the thick coat you could see her spine stood up, with a drop away either side to the top of her rib cage forming a shelf where she lacked muscle and fat.
“Her pelvis was angular with bones showing and she had a gap between her hind legs where she lacked muscle and fat.”
A vet attended the site and examined the horses and supported “unnecessary suffering” for Foxy and Rain. Both horses were removed from the site by the RSPCA.
A warning notice to provide access to dry lying and ensure sufficient access to good quality forage to maintain a healthy weight for the remaining equines was issued.
The court was also told that the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare had previous contact with Mr and Mrs Hope and provided advice and guidance.
Following sentencing Inspector Smith said:
“It’s awful when horses are caused to suffer at all, but in this case it is even more frustrating when advice was given to the owners previously to improve matters. Sadly this was not acted upon, resulting in unnecessary suffering being caused to Rain and Foxy.
“I implore owners to be realistic about the care they can provide, both physically and financially for any animal in their care. If they are unable to meet their needs, they need to take action, rather than leave them to suffer.”
Foxy is now thriving in a new home, however, whilst Rain recovered her weight, she developed a significant lameness and unfortunately carers were unable to keep her sound enough to have a quality of life in a paddock. A joint veterinary decision by two equine vets was made for her to be put to sleep.
