An owner who left his pony suffering with a large neck wound has been banned from keeping equines for five years.
Paul Hunter, 61, of Airlie Street, Hull, pleaded guilty after failing to seek veterinary treatment for the pony, called Sonny. He also admitted failing to meet the needs of the equine.
He appeared for sentencing on December 20 at Hull Magistrates’ Court where as well as the disqualification he was placed under a 12-month community order which requires him to undertake 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days.
The plight of the piebald pony, who happily has recovered, was reported to the animal charity’s cruelty line by a member of the public. RSPCA Inspector Natalie Hill and Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Liz Braidley then went to a location on rubbish-strewn wasteland close to Airlie Street in Hull on February 13 last year.
In a statement presented to the court, RSPCA Inspector Hill said the officers found the equine standing knee deep in mud and they noticed a makeshift dressing had been applied around his neck. When they removed it they found a large wound underneath, which was around 25cm long and 5cm deep.
“The pony was covered in a neck-high rug but I was unable to see his feet due to the thick soft mud,” said the inspector. “Through the metal fencing we found a makeshift bandage placed under the chest piece of the rug. On removing the dressing a large open wound was found at the base of the neck, which looked clean but was very large.”
Sonny the pony was found on muddy, litter-strewn wasteland with a makeshift bandage over his neck wound under a rug
(Image: RSPCA)
While the officers were at the location the defendant appeared with his son. He said he was the equine’s owner and said the wound had been “caused by a rug” and he’d noticed it around four to five days before, so he’d bathed it in iodine.
He claimed to the officers that Sonny was “well fed, he isn’t suffering he’s just got a cut” but admitted he hadn’t sought veterinary treatment.
A vet was called out to the scene and administered pain relief and a tetanus injection to Sonny and later a police officer attended to seize the animal, who was taken to recover at an RSPCA boarding yard. A vet said in her report that using iodine and an antibiotic spray to clean such a severe wound was not adequate treatment.
The report also highlighted that Sonny was in “desperate” need of hoof care as his feet were overgrown and he was missing three shoes. “A responsible owner would be expected to seek veterinary attention for such an injury,” said the vet.
“Considering the depth of the wound and the amount of swelling present, Sonny is likely to have been suffering for a period of at least four weeks.”
In mitigation, it was said the defendant had tried “his best” to keep the wound – which was not deliberate – free from infection. The court heard he suffers from physical ill health and depression following his wife’s death.
The court heard that Hunter did not sign Sonny over to the RSPCA as he hoped the pony might be returned to him. But the magistrates imposed a deprivation order to remove him of ownership. They also told him to pay court costs of £200 and a victim surcharge of £114.
Sonny has made a good recovery and his wound has healed up well. He will now be rehomed by the RSPCA.