This tiny Shetland pony pony was found collapsed and exhausted tethered to a stake just 100 feet from where fireworks had been let off in a caravan park in November 2011.
Unable to escape, the pony panicked at the loud noises of the fireworks. He wrapped his tether around the stake to the point where he couldn’t move and was pinned to the ground.
The pony was also severely underweight and had a filthy coat. His head collar was so tightly fitted it had left permanent marks on his skull.
A member of the public tended to the pony who couldn’t even stand. She tried to warm him up and give him fluids with a syringe, but he would not eat.
He was gently carried to her address and a vet was called out but sadly died a few hours later.
Inadequate care leads to suffering
The grazing where the Shetland pony had been tethered was scrubland. His food should have been supplemented with feed or hay; however his owner had been providing him bread and carrots, an unsuitable diet.
A nearby water bucket had been tipped over and was out of the Shetland’s reach.
Investigating Inspector Pippa Boyd, said:
I could immediately feel the pony had been extremely underweight with his spine and ribs evident to the touch.
His coat was scruffy and appeared like a coat of a 30 year old pony, not a young pony.
A vet confirmed that this Shetland would have been suffering from hunger pains and a lack of energy even before his terrifying ordeal during that fateful night in November.
A string of serious offences
The owner of the pony was charged with failing to address the pony’s weight loss or provide appropriate veterinary care.
He was also charged with failing to protect the pony from pain and injury, failing to provide a suitable diet and failing to protect him from fear by tethering the pony too close to a fireworks display.
The man pleaded guilty to all charges and the court imposed an immediate sentence of 16 weeks. The court said they felt that the offences were so serious that only immediate imprisonment was justified. He was also banned from keeping animals for life.
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