A stallion left tied to a gate with string, severely injured and unable to bear weight on one leg, had to be put down to end his suffering.
The RSPCA is appealing for information on the piebald, who was found by a member of the public in Rod Lane, Ilford, Somerset, on Sunday (28 July).
A spokesman for the RSPCA said the stallion, thought to be nine to 11 years old, was tightly tethered to the gate with baler twine. His right foreleg had an infected tendon sheath and he was unable to bear weight on it.
“He had also been left without water and without shelter from the blazing sun,” he said.
“Sadly his injuries were so severe that he was put to sleep on independent veterinary advice to stop him suffering further.”
The spokesman said it is not known how long the stallion had been there and that he was not microchipped, so it has not been possible to trace an owner.
Investigating RSPCA inspector Marie Griffiths said: “It is a horrendously cruel thing to do to abandon an injured horse. I would really like to hear if anyone knows who left him there, severely injured and without water or shelter.”
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The spokesman said the charity is currently caring for more than 900 horses and ponies and receiving up to 45 calls a day about neglected, abandoned and suffering horses.
“Last year the charity took in 848 horses across England and Wales, and offered advice and support to many more owners. The RSPCA is increasingly seeing more situations involving multiple neglected and suffering horses, sometimes more than 100 at the same site, which puts an enormous strain on its resources,” he said.
Anyone with information on the stallion can contact the charity’s appeal line on 0300 1238018.
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