A woman has been banned from keeping animals for life after a horse in her care was put down after he did not receive adequate care.
Victoria Jane Todd, of Walton Street, Gawber, appeared at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 12 November. She was accused of offences involving a thoroughbred horse, called Dado Mush, who was kept in a field in Elsecar.
She admitted three offences involving the 12-year-old horse.
“This poor horse was in a terrible state when we were first called back in February this year,” said RSPCA inspector Keira Benham.
“He was severely underweight, had rain scald and mud fever and a number of really sore ulcers in his mouth. There was no doubt he was in a lot of pain and a vet confirmed that he was suffering.”
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Todd was handed an 18-week prison sentence, which was suspended for two years, banned from keeping all animals for life and ordered to pay £2,080 costs.
The court heard that Todd committed three offences under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, by causing unnecessary suffering to the horse.
The offences included failing to investigate and address the causes of the horse’s poor body condition and weight loss, and failure to provide him with dental care, hoof care and treatment for lice and rain scald.
The horse was removed by the police on 11 February and placed into RSPCA care. Inspectors took him straight to a vet, where he received extensive treatment and care. Around 10 days later he was put down.
“Sadly he was so exhausted that once he got down to rest, he could not get back up and after developing colic later that evening, the vets decided the kindest thing to do was to put him to sleep to prevent him from suffering further,” added an RSPCA spokesman.
