"Horse-Dumping" In Locked-Down Sussex: RSPCA Sounds Alarm

"Unwanted animals, left dumped like rubbish, sometimes extremely sick or dying" — that's what RSPCA staff said they've seen, in what they're calling a "horse crisis".

"Unwanted animals, left dumped like rubbish, sometimes extremely sick or dying" — that's what RSPCA staff said they've seen, in what they're calling a "horse crisis".

According to the animal charity, it's already received 51 calls from Sussex about horses needing urgent help during the present lockdown, and it fears that a financial recession could lead to more suffering.

It's after, in 2019, the charity received reports of 391 incidents involving horses in Sussex alone.

Christine McNeil, who co-ordinates the RSPCA's equine inspectors, said:

"This is a truly worrying time for equine charities - we still haven't got a handle on the repercussions of the current horse crisis, and it now looks like the worst is yet to come.

"In April 2011, before the effects of the financial recession had hit, the RSPCA had 290 horses in its care, already more than our official stables could house.

"Fast-forward to today, and we're caring for 927 horses - that's three times the amount since the crisis hit, and we strongly fear that the impact will be even worse this time round.

"Several 'herds' of horses in need are being cared for in situ with our officers visiting regularly to feed and care for them, until we can find spaces in one of our centres for them, or funds to transport them to private boarding.

"Our Sussex-based animal collection officer Julie Parsons was a great example of this when she was traveling each day to check on a group of neglected Shetland ponies.

"Thankfully now the herd is being cared for at one of our animal centres."

Threats of a financial recession this year has led to fears that irresponsible horse breeders will continue to breed their animals in a bid to turn a quick profit and that existing horse owners will struggle financially to keep their animals and cover vet bills.

The RSPCA said this may lead to animals suffering, and some may even resort to abandoning their animals out of desperation.

"Babs" (pictured top) was signed over to the RSPCA in April this year, after her owner had (in the charity's opinion) failed to take proper care of her, causing her to lose much weight and body condition.

RSPCA equine officer Becky Carter, who is based in Sussex said:

"Local people were extremely concerned about Babs, kept in a field north of Brighton, as she was incredibly thin, and so hungry she had even been seen eating her own faeces.

"A Thoroughbred horse like Babs needs very specific care to stay in good condition, particularly through winter, but this clearly hadn't been provided, and as a result Babs really suffered.

"Babs was signed over to us, and she has been cared for during the last couple of months at a private boarding yard, where slowly, she is starting to put on weight.

Becky continued:

"She will be moving soon to another organisation that specialises in Thoroughbred horses, where she will be found a new home."

Equine organisations have also been hit by the difficulty of rehoming under the present restrictions.

According to the RSPCA, rehoming only restarted in mid April but horses represent one of the biggest challenges of all rescued animals to rehome, because of the difficulty of doing so whilst respecting social distancing, and while equine centres remain closed to the public.

Despite these difficulties, the RSPCA has managed to rehome 21 horses in the ten weeks since lockdown - this compares to 56 in January and February.

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