A total of 111 horses have been rescued from the farm in Amersham which has become the centre of a major cruelty investigation.
The horses, ponies and donkeys are now in the care of equine welfare charities across the country. The charities have pulled together to rescue and home the animals which have been described as in a “shocking” state.
View pictures of the horses involved
“We’ve got 11 of the better ones, and they arrived last night covered in excrement, mud, cuts and gashes and with long feet. They are very scared and extremely hungry,” said Hannah Rowley, a spokesman for the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH).
“The first thing they did when they got into their stables was put their head down to eat and they haven’t moved since.”
Police and inspectors from the RSPCA and ILPH raided Spindles Farm, owned by meat trader Jamie Gray, last Friday.
Some 31 equines were found dead on the farm, and another three were found to be suffering so badly that they were put down at the scene.
During the weekend, 14 horses, ponies and donkeys in a critical condition were removed and taken to the Horse Trust’s Home of Rest for Horses in Buckinghamshire.
Yesterday, the RSPCA, Horse Trust, ILPH, Blue Cross and Redwings Horse Sanctuary — with the help of commercial horse transporters — carried out a massive rescue operation to recover the remaining animals.
At noon today, the RSPCA confirmed that a total 111 horses, ponies and donkeys have been removed live from Spindles Farm, and that, at present, the death count is still at 34.
The Horse Trust took in 17 more animals yesterday. A spokesman said they were “A bit underweight but not a really serious condition.”
Redwings Horse Sanctuary has taken eight donkeys and 13 horses into care.
- Join the H&H forum community’s campaign to support the welfare centres caring for the rescued horses — find out more
