Abandoned horse suffers ‘horrific’ injuries

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) is tonight appealing for information following the discovery of an abandoned mare and foal with “horrific” injuries.

The horses were found in a flooded area of forestry in the Levitstown area on the Laois-Kildare border last Friday by the ISPCA inspector Michael Keane who was in the area to investigate an initial complaint about underweight ponies.

Mr Keane said he waded through water almost three feet deep in parts before locating the animals on a small unsubmerged patch of land. The mare’s body was in “very poor” condition while one of its hooves was entirely missing and the mare was walking “on a stump”.

Both the mare and foal were taken to a specialist equine veterinary practice where, on examination, it was determined the mare would be put down on humane grounds.

“The suffering this mare must have endured is hard to imagine,” said Mr Keane last night. “We can take some comfort in the fact that we were able to end that suffering.”

The foal was taken to the ISPCA’s National Animal Centre and is undergoing veterinary treatment. It is expected to make a full recovery. Enquiries have thus far failed to identify an owner.

“These ponies were not micro-chipped and were in this forestry without permission,” added Mr Keane. “It would appear they were simply discarded. If anybody has any information about these unfortunate animals, we would ask them to contact our helpline in confidence.”

Anybody with information is asked to phone 1890515515.