Three members of the same family have been banned from keeping horses for 10 years after repeatedly ignoring advice from welfare charities.
Tommy Dunn snr, Tonny Dunn jnr and Shirley Dunn pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to eight native-bred ponies in their care. The poneis were found dehydrated and starving, tethered so tightly in a dark barn that they could not lay down.
The ponies were removed from premises in Ash, Kent, on 9 March after World Horse Welfare officer, an RSPCA inspector, a vet and police officers attended the site after a number of previous visits.
They discovered the ponies covered in lice and riddled with red worm.
The animals were immediately removed and are now in the care of World Horse Welfare.
“This is a good result for the horses,” said World Horse Welfare’s Claire Gordon. “Had the owners in this case listened to the advice given we would not have had to prosecute.
“Prosecution is always a last result as we prefer to work with horse owners to improve welfare, but in this case the owners did not listen to our repeated advice, which was met with hostility and aggression.”
At Sevenoaks Magistrates Court on 14 August Tommy Dunn snr and Tommy Dunn jnr were sentenced to pay £5,000 in costs each and Shirley Dunn was ordered to pay £500.
