A pony discovered crawling with thousands of maggots and barely able to stand has been described by an RSPCA inspector as “the worst equine case I’ve ever seen”.
The RSPCA found the blue-eyed skewbald in a derelict farm building in Wingate, County Durham, on 4 June. Despite immediate veterinary care, the pony was “too far gone” and did not survive.
Inspector Nick Jones said the large wounds across the pony’s right side were riddled with maggots.
“This is as bad as it gets,” he said. “Hand on heart this is the worst equine case I’ve ever seen.
“The right hand side of the pony looked atrocious with a three-inch-thick line of maggots running the length of the neck.
“There were so many you could hear them. It sounded like the popping of a fizzy drink. It was grotesque.
“Even as an inspector who deals with neglect cases every day, this was devastating to see. The poor pony was on his feet when I arrived but he was in such a bad way.”
The British Horse Society (BHS) contacted the RSPCA after a member of the public reported the two-year-old cob’s suffering.
Mr Jones contacted a vet, who treated the wounds.
“He was then taken to a BHS stables for recovery but sadly he didn’t make it. He was too far gone and his wounds were too severe. It is heartbreaking.
“We have no idea how long he had been there or the cause of his wounds but it is very clear that the pony had been severely neglected by his owner.
Lice-ridden pony found ‘eaten alive’ by maggots *warning: graphic images*
A World Horse Welfare officer described it as
‘The last chance’: maggots save much-loved mare’s life
The maggots break down diseased tissue and promote
Pony found ‘being eaten alive’ making good progress after rescue
The youngster was very thin and suffering from
“We are now appealing to anyone who may have information on how the pony came to be in this state to do the right thing and contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 1238018 and ask to leave a message for inspector Nick Jones.
