A veterinary nurse who owned an aged mare has been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering and been banned from keeping horses
A veterinary nurse from Lowestoft in Suffolk has beenfound guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a horse and banned from keeping horses for three years.
Amanda Botten, 33 was found guilty in her absence by Lowestoft Magistrate’s court on 22 February, after repeatedly failing to appear in court.
She finally appeared before magistrates for sentencing on 29 August, and was banned from keeping equines for three years, given 40 hours community service and fined £100 costs.
RSPCA Inspector David Collins found Candy an 18-year-old, 14.2hh chestnut mare in a small bare paddock without access to food or fresh water.
“The only water available to the mare was over an electric fence that was live,” David said. “Amanda claimed that the horse was brought in at night and regularly feed but it appears that this was not the case.”
The ILPH were first alerted to Candy’s situation by her owner who was concerned over her deterioration while on loan to Amanda.
On22 February Candy was seized by the police and signed over to the care of the ILPH.
However Candy failed to put on any weight while at the centre and after carrying out a series of tests, vets concluded that she was suffering from irreversible worm damage and the mare was put to sleep.
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