This extended post documents the welfare crisis on East Moor in diary form between March and June 2016. It was set up and maintained in an effort to raise awareness of the crisis and to get action for the ponies. During the crisis, 23 ponies died and 42 ponies were seized in emaciated condition - a third of the equine population on this Common was effected by the crisis.
In September 2016 there was a multi-agency round-up on East Moor. Owned animals were microchipped and passported and abandoned animals removed. A large number of stallions were removed.
20/06/2016 - There do appear to have been large scale removals of ponies underway on this Common on Bodmin Moor. There were a lot of ponies turned out on this area - estimated at least 200. Particularly during last week there have very clearly been round-ups underway - vastly fewer ponies are out and it's mostly stallions that are remaining out on the moor at the moment. Some ponies have been rescued by Bolenowe Animal Sanctuary in Cornwall and can be seen on their Facebook page, including the "Blue and White" mare and her yearling we have previously featured on this blog.
Lets keep our fingers crossed for the other ponies. It would be so good if progress is finally being made here!
11/06/2016 - Apologies for the lack of updates this week - so much going on, both on Bodmin and at the yard. No more carcass removals so there are still lots of bodies out. As always, the ponies on this area and their condition are of great concern.
This poor mare is one of the worst we have seen so far - she has continued to deteriorate. The "spring grass" is not improving her condition at all.
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| This grey mare in the same group is also in poor condition |
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| Many other ponies continue to be in "poor" condition too |
To add the the situation on the moor there is lots of intense fighting. The mares are coming into season. The high proportion of stallions to mares is leading to energetic fights, including high speed chases, causing disruption to the herds and ponies are also being injured in the process. A skewbald stallion is very lame - standing only on 3 legs. The second photo below, from today (taken a week later after the first), shows him remaining lying down whilst a person approaches. Usually he's not keen on human presence. He has been not very easy to check on because of a rather aggressive bovine that has been turned out in this area!
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| Stallion on the right. His mares are also in poor condition. You can see the spine protruding on the pony on the left. |
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| High speed chases |
Another young mare is also lame on a front leg.
There are have also been more sheep deaths this week.
Amended 04/06/2016 - Whilst it's a battle to keep ponies from getting fat in the lowland (non-moorland) environments, the ponies on this Bodmin Common continue to be in emaciated condition despite the grass growing there.
Amended 04/06/16 - Some carcasses have been moved but they have not been removed from the moor...instead there is a burial pit dug on the moor - a horse bone on top just to prove its contents! Lots of carcasses are still out there...After doing some research and thank you to Martin for researching this for us...it seems that Defra's own website has not been updated...
According to Defra/APHAs own website, which was last updated in December 2015, it clearly states guidance relating to "Fallen Stock": If a horse dies or has to be put down on your premises, you will have to arrange its disposal as fallen stock under animal by-products (ABPs) legislation. ABPs are entire animal bodies, parts of animals, products of animal origin or other products obtained from animals that are not fit or intended for human consumption. You must promply deal with ABPs to prevent harm to people, animals, and the environment. In most cases, this will mean arranging for its transportation to approved premises. For more information, see the guide on fallen stock and the guide on dealing with ABP. The National Fallen Stock Scheme is run on a not-for-profit basis by the National Fallen Stock Company Ltd (NFSCo) and can help you to meet the obligations under the regulations" But now it seems that in England horses can be buried if they are pets or not (the rules are different in Scotland and Wales)...so I expect we'll be seeing more of this when it comes to the autumn culls on Dartmoor...
31/05/2016 - So we are now at the end of May - when we started this blog entry to draw attention to the crisis on Bodmin Moor we never expected that we would have to be running it for so long. The intervention day came and went - whilst some ponies were removed, as we've seen, lots of ponies weren't removed, some died afterwards. We have recorded 30 corpses associated with this one enclosed Common on Bodmin Moor (22 ponies - the rest cows and sheep) and they have remained where they fell - causing a disease risk for months. Today was the first sign of machinery having removed a pony carcass - let's hope it's the start of more carcass removals.
In the meantime we're losing hope that action is coming for the remaining emaciated ponies. It's so frustrating to see because action should have been taken before foaling started and before the mares have been covered again by the stallions.
27/05/2016 - The ponies are still out there - one pony has been missing for a week now which is definitely a concern...
24/05/2016 -
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| This pony continues to go downhill and is really quite poorly looking |
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| Another new foal born to an emaciated grey |
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| The grey we often feature watching over her foal |
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| Yearlings in poor condition |
23/05/2016 - Pictures from today including yet another newly dead sheep...there really are a lot of grey ponies in poor condition up there...
22/05/2016 - The very emaciated grey we often feature has foaled - it's just miraculous that these ponies in such poor condition still have milk to feed their babies. And a dead calf today - someone has cut the tags out and left the body!
20/05/2016 - Yet another dead pony found today - number 22 that we know of to have died out on the moor during this crisis. All the carcasses are still out on the moor. Meanwhile emaciated ponies continue to deteriorate...still no help for these ponies.
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| Yearling of the pony above |
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| Dead sheep - no doubt it will become one of the many sheep skeletons out there |
17/05/2016 - The emaciated ponies are still out on the Common...more foals are being born...and unbelievably some new ponies seem to have turned up around the main gate - again in poor condition!
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| Emaciated mare |
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| This male is losing condition quickly now |
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| The mare and foal featured on the 12/05/16 |
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| The ponies above and below are amongst other new ones who appeared today around the main gate area! |
12/05/2016 - Take a look at this little mare from today - she is in very emaciated condition but has managed to deliver her foal...we have to hope that she has enough milk to feed the foal.
11/05/2016 - A pregnant chestnut mare in appalling condition to add to the list today, and below in the herd photo you can also see how poor the youngsters are too. The skewbald (black and white pony) is also in very poor condition. Thank you everyone for forwarding the posts on Facebook and Twitter...please keep sharing...these ponies need action! Rescue spaces have been offered by other charities directly to the authorities so why are they not taking action? Please see the posts below for the previous few days which show how poor the ponies are...
And just to contrast, we rounded up our conservation ponies today and this is how ponies should look at this time of year...certainly not thin!
10/05/2016 - These mares are going downhill so fast - they urgently need to be removed from the moor - the blog is getting their story known but they need to be rescued - seized and removed from the moor. Rescue spaces have been offered by other charities directly to the authorities so why are they not taking action?
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| Thankfully the grey mare had returned today. She too is in very poor condition. |
09/05/2016 - Please keep spreading the word of these ponies via Facebook and Twitter - we must keep public attention on them... With wet coats from the rain today you can get a good idea of how thin they are...
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| This photo was taken yesterday - this mare is in extremely poor condition and her yearling is very thin too. |
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| This little one is starting to go downhill now... |
...Worryingly this pony the grey (white pony) closest to the camera could not be found anywhere today...such a worry...
05/05/2016 - We must keep pestering the authorities - where is the intervention for these ponies??? How on earth do they expect them to survive in this condition? And, as if they didn't have enough to deal with, the emaciated mares that have given birth are now being covered by stallions...
03/05/2016 - Thankfully the emaciated chestnut pony with a foal featured on the 29/04 blog entry have been removed from the moor. So many more ponies need to be removed. More foals are arriving. Here are some of the ponies photographed over the weekend and today...
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| The natural dark shading along the spine of this pony creates an optical illusion in this photo - all along the shading is a deep hollow where the muscle and fat has been used by the body to enable this mare to survive - the spine, shoulders and pelvis are clearly protruding. |
02/05/2016 - Two more dead ponies to add to the list not recorded before - now taking number dead to 21...
29/04/2016 - Welcome to Cornwall to the start of the May bank holiday weekend....and the 19th dead pony that we have found - all the dead ponies still left out for the tourists to see - rotting out on the moor and in the marshes...I wonder why individuals are prosecuted for such behaviour but the authorities are immune themselves?...
...And what sort of chance does this foal have - it's mother desperately trying to provide the nutrition it needs to survive whist she struggles to survive herself?...
26/04/2016 - Thank you to everyone who has been calling the different organisations listed below to request help for the ponies...please do keep up your efforts...the ponies are still out on the moor waiting for help....
...In the meantime today another body has been located there - the 18th equine death up there that we know of. This pony had been shot.
Foals are starting to arrive...let's hope the weak mares due to give birth can get help soon...
22/04/2016 -
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| Pony featured on 19/04/16 |
We would like to make clear that the ponies we have been featuring on our blog have not been fed by the authorities.
On this common there is one isolated location where some hay has been put down for ponies but this is only serving a very small number of ponies in a very particular location. It is not possible for ponies on different sections of the moor to travel to this particular area – particularly when the ratio of stallions to mares is so high.
Since the welfare situation on the Common was not resolved by one day of intervention we would have hoped that the authorities would have attempted to establish other feeding points from the other access points on the moor to try and keep ponies going until the next intervention period. This has not happened, the last intervention day was 2 weeks ago, and 3 ponies have died since then that we are aware of, including “Bob”, – others are deteriorating.
Locally Defra have stated that there is no point feeding the ponies because they are so full of worms it would make no difference. Usually veterinary advice would be to feed hay regardless of worms to keep the gut functioning – a worm burden is an issue but feeding is essential. Ultimately feeding is only a temporary measure – urgent intervention is required to resolve this welfare crisis - ponies need to be removed from the moor. Feeding until intervention can take place would give these ponies more of a fighting chance and help to prevent them dying of starvation out on the moor.
We would urge the public not to feed the ponies themselves, but to contact Redwings, WHW, NEWC (the nearest regional NEWC member is the Mare and Foal Sanctuary), and Defra as the key contacts. Intervention dates have not been published so we do not know when help is due for the ponies, but you can make sure the authorities see these ponies as a priority and arrange for suitable forage to be dropped in a suitable manner if the intervention is not due to happen in the very near future. Please do not feed the ponies yourselves – it can cause damage to the ponies, and the herd dynamics in this area need very careful management due to the high proportion of stallions. Please ring Redwings, WHW, NEWC and/or Defra on the numbers below:
On this common there is one isolated location where some hay has been put down for ponies but this is only serving a very small number of ponies in a very particular location. It is not possible for ponies on different sections of the moor to travel to this particular area – particularly when the ratio of stallions to mares is so high.
Since the welfare situation on the Common was not resolved by one day of intervention we would have hoped that the authorities would have attempted to establish other feeding points from the other access points on the moor to try and keep ponies going until the next intervention period. This has not happened, the last intervention day was 2 weeks ago, and 3 ponies have died since then that we are aware of, including “Bob”, – others are deteriorating.
Locally Defra have stated that there is no point feeding the ponies because they are so full of worms it would make no difference. Usually veterinary advice would be to feed hay regardless of worms to keep the gut functioning – a worm burden is an issue but feeding is essential. Ultimately feeding is only a temporary measure – urgent intervention is required to resolve this welfare crisis - ponies need to be removed from the moor. Feeding until intervention can take place would give these ponies more of a fighting chance and help to prevent them dying of starvation out on the moor.
We would urge the public not to feed the ponies themselves, but to contact Redwings, WHW, NEWC (the nearest regional NEWC member is the Mare and Foal Sanctuary), and Defra as the key contacts. Intervention dates have not been published so we do not know when help is due for the ponies, but you can make sure the authorities see these ponies as a priority and arrange for suitable forage to be dropped in a suitable manner if the intervention is not due to happen in the very near future. Please do not feed the ponies yourselves – it can cause damage to the ponies, and the herd dynamics in this area need very careful management due to the high proportion of stallions. Please ring Redwings, WHW, NEWC and/or Defra on the numbers below:
Redwings: 01508 481 000
WHW: 08000 480180
Mare and Foal Sanctuary: 01626 355969
NEWC: 02476 840703
Defra: 0345 933 5577
20/04/2016 - Death Toll Rises To 17 ponies. Many of you will remember the grey (white) stallion featured in our original blog release - he was featured in the Western Morning News as the main photo accompanying the story of the Bodmin Crisis....
... In social media circles he was named as "Bob" and he had been generously offered a place at Hillside Animal Sanctuary once the ponies had been seized from the moor...well here is Bob today - dead out on the moor...he wasn't seized in the last intervention and he hasn't survived making it to the next round-up date (whenever that is planned for)...His herd are staying close-by as they often will when they have lost a member of their herd. We hoped by featuring this pony in our releases it would help to get him and the ponies in poor condition noticed and removed from the moor. We hoped it would enable them to receive help, and homes where possible...some were helped - but Bob and others have been failed - they lost their lives out on the Common, and others are still out on the Common awaiting help (please see the previous posts below). One day of intervention just wasn't enough... more urgent action needs to be taken.
And very close-by is another dead pony we hadn't previously featured on our blog - this one was shot after becoming stuck in a bog on the Common...
There are still 10-15 ponies waiting for help...the crisis is not over yet...in the region of 50 ponies have been effected on this one Common alone so far... If you would like to complain about the situation on this Common, please contact Defra on 0345 933 5577. This is an enclosed common and is a small area compared to those areas drifted on Dartmoor and Exmoor where these situations are never allowed to happen by the pony keepers there.
19/04/2016 - Here's the pony we featured in our last update, getting weaker by the day, still waiting for help and without any feeding from the authorities to help keep her going until the next intervention...
And she's not the only one out there - other ponies in very poor condition are still out there - the mares are pregnant - the foals will be due very soon. Their thick winter coats also help to conceal the extent of their emaciation...
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| Emaciated pregnant mare - her pelvis and spine protruding |
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| Youngster in poor condition - again with pelvis and spine protruding. |
17/04/16 - We wanted to share this pony with you to remind people that intervention is still needed to remove ponies in poor condition still remaining on this Bodmin Common - there are still 10-15 ponies waiting for help...the crisis is not over yet...in the region of 50 ponies have been effected on this one Common alone so far...
14/04/16 - A little dun foal reported to the authorities in March as being weak and in poor condition is now the latest victim on this common...pony death number 15 of this current crisis that we know of (including the skeleton mentioned in the previous post). For whatever reason, despite being reported to the authorities, she was not removed as part of the intervention last week and has now lost her life - stuck in a bog and too weak to haul herself out, she died without having had any help or assistance...soul destroying...
...The numbers of ponies involved in the crisis here are really starting to add up. To give an idea of the scale of it - 4/5 ponies removed previously in March, 15 dead (at least that we know of), 22 removed during the intervention and 10-15 ponies still out there in poor condition (to be determined by the authorities what comes off and what stays on)...this is in the region of 50 ponies now. No hay has been seen to be put out for the ponies here by the authorities...
...And on top of this other commons have also had ponies in poor condition, which also need to have help and intervention...the other commons may not have issues on the scale of this common but we are really starting to get an idea of scale of the problem and the numbers involved here...
12/04/2016 - This site continues to yield more sad stories - a new pony skeleton we hadn't found before and sadly a very recently dead cow, poor girl, may have died trying to calf. We are still hoping the authorities are due to come back due to the poor ones still out there. There was a lot of positive action up there last week with pony removals, really hoping there's still more to come...have been told about calls made about Bodmin ponies to RSPCA hotline which have received no response and not just relating to this common...
...On the other hand, really good to see news of rescue ponies from last week coming out on social media...
10/04/2016 - Lots of ponies have been removed from the Common but there are still ones in poor condition out there. Looks like things have gone quiet for the weekend...hopefully we'll see continuing action next week...we're monitoring the situation...
08/04/2016 - Still good news as large scale intervention is still happening...situation is being dealt with and taken seriously.
NEWS OF FIRST RESCUES being published by media!!!
06/04/2016 - Looks as though intervention is now underway...very many ponies no longer out on the common - we believe they have been removed from the moor. Some still out there...but definite action is taking place...well done everyone...let's hope some at least will get to go to rescues and that a long term plan is being established...this situation should not be allowed to happen again...
04/04/2016 - DEATH TOLL NOW 13! Another dead pony found on the common today...one we hadn't found before - quite decomposed as you can see.
As it has been brought to our attention that claims had been made on social media and in a published article that this crisis is not happening now and that "outdated images" had been used in our blog release...we wanted to make clear that these accusations will not be tolerated!
The only photos on the blog relating to previous years are the 3 which are clearly labelled and positioned in the text describing the crisis in 2011 and 2013. Every single one of the other 20 photos in the blog release relates to this current crisis. They are pictures of dead ponies or severely emaciated ponies found on one particular common since 27th February 2016, just as we have said, and we have proof of the date stamps for the photos - everything we have collected is evidence that we are recording. This sort of accusation is extremely damaging to the campaign to get help for the ponies and we will not accept this attempt to discredit our organisation or to prevent these animals from getting the help they need. The ponies are still suffering out on the moor waiting for help to arrive.
To make this absolutely clear, today we have taken photos of carcasses and emaciated ponies with copies of today's newspapers dated 04/04/2016. It makes me so cross that we have had to spend time to do this...but it makes the evidence extremely clear and irrefutable.
The ponies are still waiting for help...rescue places are offered for them, we haven't heard whether the 10 places at Hillside have been accepted or not. I'm sure a holding location could be found locally if needed to help them get stronger before their journey...perhaps it's time to go back to contacting the numbers at the bottom of this post..let everyone know that the ponies have been offered homes!
02/04/2016 - It's so incredibly frustrating dealing with these sorts of issues - the media are amazing at getting these issues out there and discussed. These days it seems it is the only way to get action for issues involving animal welfare...and at the same time we, and the ponies wait for action.
Each day we think surely any minute now something will happen...and it doesn't...and every day seems like an eternity when you are wondering whether the ponies will still be alive the next day...you are not allowed to help them otherwise you yourselves will be prosecuted...and we wait...and wait...and wait...watching them deteriorate even further...waiting for an AMAZING multi agency intervention...but whenever it's coming, it's coming far, far too late. If all these agencies have been overseeing it, why have they waited so long to act?
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| This isn't a new death but it just continues to be so shocking |
We worry about whether all the agencies are really aware of what they are going to encounter, when it will all happen, what and how it will happen, and how many will be dead before then. Will any of them survive this ordeal, or will they all end up being shot because they are now deemed too poor. This "intervention" should have happened weeks and weeks ago. We have to resign ourselves to the fact we are doing the best we can, now at least the ponies are not being unseen or forgotten, the world is seeing their story...but these animals have been failed and it's just not acceptable...particularly when it's happened before...3 times in 5 years this area has been highlighted to the press...and twice we were promised by Defra and Lord de Mauley that it wouldn't happen again...
01/04/2016 - So great the media are picking this up now - the ponies' plight was featured in the Western Morning News today, there was a very early interview from BBC Radio Cornwall this morning and coverage from the South West News Service so thank you so much everyone in the media for your support for highlighting this crisis which is happening now! More photos of emaciated and severely emaciated ponies from this common today...all our evidence is being carefully recorded and documented so we can prove exactly what is happening. Still replying to all your lovely emails and messages of support - thank you for bearing with us and for all your wonderful help! Keep spreading the word for these ponies and the rescue places being offered for them!
31/03/2016 - Rescue places are being offered for emaciated Bodmin ponies - Hillside Animal Sanctuary have offered to take 10 ponies, and several smaller rescues local to Bodmin have offered places too - please let's make sure that whenever action happens ponies get the chances of these places - call the RSPCA 0300 1234 999 and tell them there are rescue places offered for ponies...
The plight of the ponies is going to be featured in the Cornish Guardian and Western Morning News tomorrow - you have all managed to get them noticed and the ponies' story is finally being heard - thanks to all your help and support, we can't thank you enough! We've received so many messages and phone calls...thank you so much everyone - we are working hard to answer every single one so please bear with us...in the meantime, please keep up the good work, keep contacting and keep sharing. The ponies are still out there on the common.
One of the common themes in letter responses is the lack of equine identification here - yet it is compulsory for all equines on Bodmin to be microcipped...the authorities don't enforce it. Ask your contacts why this isn't being addressed now - or indeed in the past...why is there one rule for Bodmin owners and another for everyone else? There is no derogation as there is on Dartmoor/Exmoor/New Forest.
30/03/2016 - Update - Another pony found dead on the Common today - see update at bottom of this post....
There is currently a welfare crisis underway on Bodmin Moor - THIS IS HAPPENING NOW. On one particular common there is a crisis which has been underway since 27th February 2016 - a month now. The mass neglect and starvation of ponies - in the last month at least 11 ponies have died out on the common from neglect and starvation, too weak to survive they have been dropping dead out on the moor, their carcasses left to rot...not even collected by the authorities who are aware of the situation. All those dead have been left out for weeks now - and even for all to see for the Easter bank holiday - the start of the Cornish tourist holiday season...
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| Above picture: 3 weeks ago. Bottom picture: Now - rapid deterioration, body condition score 1 |
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| Many emaciated ponies... |
Even worse...the crisis is continuing...there continue to be ponies emaciated and in extremely poor condition battling to survive through the stormy weather...starving and with little shelter from the weather conditions. If there is help coming, it's coming too late for these poor ponies.
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| There have also been dead cows |
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| Ponies battling against the conditions |
What's even worse is this is not the first time this has happened...in 2011 there was a welfare crisis on this common- at least 5 dead ponies and 19 taken in by Redwings. Defra promised it wouldn't happen again...
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| Welfare Crisis 2011 - http://wildponiesinfo.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/dead-ponies-on-bodmin-moor-bodmin.html |
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| Welfare Crisis 2011 - http://wildponiesinfo.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/dead-ponies-on-bodmin-moor-bodmin.html |
Then in 2013, 20 ponies died/were shot on this common by the authorities because their condition was so poor. Lord de Mauley told us at a Parliamentary meeting that this would not happen again...and now it has...and this time it's worse than ever before...there have been dead cows out here too.
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| Welfare Crisis - 2013 http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/outcry-over-dead-ponies-389080 |
Everyday there are more dead ponies.
A new Commoners' Council has just been launched and whilst they will need time to adjust and set up procedures, there should not be a mass crisis of starving horses in the meantime. The overseeing authorities are the same and have been since the crisis in 2011.
CORNWALL THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE...the Animal Welfare Act is there to be enforced to seize suffering animals and to prevent them from un-necessary suffering. This crisis happening now and needs swift action. There are some rescue places available at charities.
30/03/16 - Today another pony has been found dead out on the Common...a filly...there needs to be accountability over this - the attitude of the authorities has been totally unacceptable....
This needs to be highlighted to the following groups so that this welfare crisis is brought to an end. There needs to be accountability and a long term effective strategy put in place to ensure this does not happen again. PLEASE spread through social media AND contact the following groups:
MP and Defra minister: george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk
MP Scott Mann: Via the contact page on his website http://www.scottmann.org.uk/ or scott@scottmann.org.uk
Cornwall Councillor: vhall@cornwall.gov.uk
World Horse Welfare: info@worldhorsewelfare.org 08000 480180
Redwings 01508 481 000
Mare and Foal Sanctuary: 01626 355969
BHS: welfare@bhs.org.uk
Comments:
The Brummie said...COME ON George Eustice , this was never going to happen again and yet it has twice since Lord deMorley said so . Now even more carcasses are spread over the Moor . How is this going to look for the visitors who come to Cornwall to see Bodmin moor and all it has to offer , never mind those who really care what we do to our animals .
29 March 2016 at 14:51
Elaine said...
Haven't heard of your rescue, where are you based how can we find you? How many horses could you take if nessasary
29 March 2016 at 18:20
Cherie Walker said...
Hi I am in Gunnislake and could help a few.
Cherie
Cherie
people4ponies.co.uk said...
Hello Everyone, thank you for your comments, and thank you everyone for reading and sharing this post - please keep sharing and contacting - in 24 hours we've had 5,488 viewings - please keep it going, we must get urgent action for these ponies.
Elaine, we are an equine charity based in Devon, you can find out more about us on our main website www.people4ponies.co.uk Perhaps you could contact us directly to our email address: people4ponies@yahoo.co.uk
Cherie - thank you also for getting in touch - perhaps you could contact us directly to our email address: people4ponies@yahoo.co.uk
Many thanks everyone...keep posting, sharing, and contacting! These ponies need urgent action...
Elaine, we are an equine charity based in Devon, you can find out more about us on our main website www.people4ponies.co.uk Perhaps you could contact us directly to our email address: people4ponies@yahoo.co.uk
Cherie - thank you also for getting in touch - perhaps you could contact us directly to our email address: people4ponies@yahoo.co.uk
Many thanks everyone...keep posting, sharing, and contacting! These ponies need urgent action...
Unknown said...Hold on a minute, am I missing something here?? These ponies belong to someone , commoners who have the right to graze the moorland, why aren't they being held responsible?
30 March 2016 at 06:08
Jennaberri Joppa said...
It breaks my heart to see this issue has risen again on Bodmin Moor,but not at all surprised because it never really went away.Year after year we see starved and emaciated ponies, year after year we are told it is under control and being dealt with, year after year we are lied to.When I worked in the equine welfare sector I saw this happening, distraught at the sight of rotting pony carcasses, ponies dying of starvation infront of us and ponies being shot by the authorities as it was the only way their suffering would end. They were the lucky ones because (as expected)the ones who survived are suffering again. We were told it would not happen again and things would be better with the new Commoners Council, not so it would seem.Prosecutions need to be served, no more faffing around saying "they are not marked so we can't do anything about it".The authorities know who these people are so they need to grow a pair and deal with it.If they really don't know who these ponies belong to fine or prosecute the lot of them,ban them all from grazing ponies and maybe they might take you seriously.I no longer work in the welfare sector so I am no longer restricted on what I say (not that it ever stopped me before,certain charities and organisations need to stop kissing butt and start standing up for the animals. Take action and do something about this continuing tragedy.
Anonymous said...
Why haven't the owners been forced to feed these ponies, if it is common land the commoners must own them surely?
Cilla and Paul King said...
Appalling news and shocking pictures - how can this be allowed? Has any owner EVER been prosecuted for leaving a pony to starve on the moor? It will not stop until there is a serious consequence to their callous neglect.
Please everyone who reads this blog, send links to the media - newspapers TV , your MP and especially to DEFRA. In the meantime, can something be done for those that could recover?
Please everyone who reads this blog, send links to the media - newspapers TV , your MP and especially to DEFRA. In the meantime, can something be done for those that could recover?
Chris Richardson said...I used to own a property in Wales with grazing rights on the nearby common and everyone knew who owned what and the owners were deemed responsible for putting feed out for their animals in the winter or taking them off the common. Surely the owners of these ponies must be known and should imo be prosecuted, otherwise why doesnt the authorities round up all the ponies and sell them for expenses, at least they would be saved from starvation and whoever is in charge of grazing the moor should make sure the animals put out there are better regulated or face being removed and the farmer/owner fined accordingly.
30 March 2016 at 14:15
If anyone wants to help, please donate to these organisations which are actively involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of these ponies: Shires Holt and Bodmin Moorland Pony Rehabilitation.
Tracy Ovens said...
This is appalling, these poor defenceless animals left to suffer needlessly , the authorities should be ashamed of themselves .... maybe if tourists stopped visiting the area and the tourist Industry for Cornwall was effected you can bet they would take swift action then
people4ponies.co.uk said...Yes, sadly Shire's Holt and Bodmin Moorland Pony rehab have lost ponies this week rescued from the moor - see their Facebook pages - the few ponies that have come off Bodmin have been in such emaciated, poor condition, the ponies are fighting for their lives...
Anonymous said...
This needs proper media coverage. Try The Western Morning News or The Cornish Guardian. These pictures will soon get the owners prosecuted, especially as the tourist season has started.
Sadly we see this all too often down here, but it doesn't make it any less heart breaking :(
Anonymous said...
This is barbaric and so sad, the owners of these ponies need to be brought to justice and punished heavily for their crime. Shared on twitter
30 March 2016 at 23:49
What's stopping people going and putting hay out on the common in the meantime? I'm sure people would contribute to fund it
Deborah Granger said...
Why are the RSPCA doing nothing to see such cruelty is appalling.
fjk42 said...
This is truly appalling. Whoever is responsible for letting these ponies fend for themselves on a moor with insufficient grazing and no shelter should be prosecuted.
The general public are advised not to feed because it can prompt people to put out inappropriate food not safe for ponies that could cause the ponies more problems (such as colic) when eaten. It is also something that needs to be strategically carried out because of the herds - the stronger animals would eat the food and not the weak ones that need it. What needs to happen is the animal welfare law needs to be enforced...places are waiting, ponies need to be seized and properly cared for, or sympathetically and skillfully euthanised if they are too poor to continue...
31 March 2016 at 23:23
Love animals said...
Is there a plan in place for food to go out as soon as funds come in? I would contribute to a lorry taking food out and I'm sure many others would too. Can we have information how donations would be used and where to send.
As this is part of the tourist industry then we should get the tourist's involved and embarrass/shame Cornwall into action.
As this is part of the tourist industry then we should get the tourist's involved and embarrass/shame Cornwall into action.
people4ponies.co.uk said...
It is my understanding the authorities have rejected offers made to place hay out for the ponies and as far as I know they are not asking for donations for a hay drop to happen for these ponies.
We absolutely agree - Cornwall relies so much on it's tourist industry and this whole situation is appalling.
We absolutely agree - Cornwall relies so much on it's tourist industry and this whole situation is appalling.
Lynda in Wales said...
I can only presume that these ponies are being dumped by unscrupulous owners. If this is the case, then the ponies probably have a high worm burden, salmonella, strangles or whatever, and the owners did not want to spend out on vet fees. If this is the case, then, no matter how much food they get they will not thrive and will eventually die. It is appalling that nobody is tackling the problem. Of course they are not microchipped or branded because that would lead back to their owners. Of course, there is the chance that some of them may be dumped stolen ponies...
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