Worst ever animal neglect case

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Five members of the same family have been found guilty after scores of horses, ponies and donkeys at a Buckinghamshire farm suffered neglect.

The scene of unimaginable horror that faced RSPCA officers at Spindle Farm in Amersham can now be described.

More than 100 horses, emaciated, bones protruding, were dying where they stood from dehydration, starvation and infection.

Elsewhere on the farm, 32 carcasses were discovered decomposing into the wintry mud - the horses, ponies and donkeys still lying where they had collapsed.

The farm was owned by Jamie Gray - an equine trader with a history of animal neglect.

He had been fined £3,500 in 2006 for causing unnecessary suffering to equines - but was allowed to continue his trading business.

Less than two years later, the RSPCA officers who bought the original conviction were back, and the scene was more distressing than before.

"It was the worst case of neglect I have ever seen," said the chief inspector for the RSPCA in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, Rob Skinner, who has witnessed some horrific animal cruelty cases.

But the severity of this one shocked him and his fellow officers.

"We had to act fast. We had to sort out the worst - a pony collapsed by a trough. It was those real emergencies we had to sort out first," he said.

That was more than a year ago and, ever since, the rescued ponies have been at rehabilitation centres across the country.

Many were infested with worms, some had painful infections and all needed food, water and time to recover.

On the outside the rescued animals all look as if they have made good recoveries.

Skin and bones are covered with layers of fat and well conditioned coats but the damage from Spindle Farm is never far away.

Even now some of the horses are at risk from underlying conditions which they contracted in the care of Jamie Gray.

Their progress has been monitored closely by the RSPCA - and Kirsty Hampton, one of the investigating officers, has kept in contact with the rehabilitation centres.

"Some of the horses needed simple feeding, others veterinary care. For two weeks one of the donkeys had to be picked up every morning till it could stand on its own," she said.

[Despare]

Assholes, throw them in a cage and don't give them any food or water. Pisses me off to no end...

[hammerfan]

He should never have been allowed to have animals again after the first time. Idiots!!!! :mad:

[ferretchucker]

It just a shame that no matter what you do to him you can't take back what he did to the animals.

[crazy raplh]

there is cases like that all the time here in Idaho and who knows how many are out there unreported. It is a sick world sometimes. It all starts with the like who pulls the legs off flies and crap. Somettimes I feel like were going backwards in evolution.

[X¤MurderDoll¤X]

just sounds like a bad business decision to me.

[Posher778]

Animal cruelty offenders should be put to death. The end.

[cheebacheeba]

It's always horses...people just get in and they can't afford them...that's sometimes with just a few, to consider that many if you had anything less than the required space, or finances to care for them is just ludicrous...stupid people...

[X¤MurderDoll¤X]

I think owning pets should just be illegal, unless you're blind.

[scouse mac]

Originally Posted by Posher778

Animal cruelty offenders should be put to death. The end.

You got my vote, Mr President.

Torture the fuckers like they did the animals, eye for an eye