POLICE have charged a man over the discovery of 23 dead horses in Melbourne’s north yesterday.

Bruce Akers was arrested last night and has been charged with animal cruelty and criminal damage offences, police said.

He faced the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court today.

It comes after neighbours reported seeing starving horses at a Bulla farm to the RSPCA the week before Easter.

Police arriving at the property, 33km from Melbourne, about 3.30pm yesterday found more than 40 dead and dying horses.

Police are trying to find care for 22 horses suffering from malnutrition, but it is too late for another 23, who were already dead.

The RSPCA has since been inundated with offers to rehome the remaining starved horses in Melbourne’s north.

About 32 people have contacted the RSPCA offering to rehome the sick horses left at the Bulla horse stud.

Freedman Racing, Malua Racing and Cloud 9 Thoroughbreds transported some of the malnourished horses from the property last night.

Carolyn Lofts, who found one of the dying horses, said the discovery was sickening.

“There was a horse alive still, but he was stuck upside down on the rocks,” she said.

“I looked over my shoulder...and we saw another ten horses, all dead.”

media_camera The RSPCA arrives at the property where 23 dead horses have been discovered. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Ms Lofts called triple-0 immediately, with the police later calling the RSPCA.

Ms Lofts runs her own horse stud and said it was appalling to find the horses in that condition.

“It’s disgusting, absolutely appalling,” she said.

Ms Lofts had to call her own vet to check one of the malnourished horses.

“She came out, with the help of police and CFA, and the horse has been taken care of and put ut of its misery,” she said.

Ms Lofts said: “I’m absolutely disgusted that people could starve horses like that.”

Neighbour Robert Mitchell said he was showing some environmentalists the creek on his property when one woman noticed a foul smell yesterday.

“A woman in the group saw a leg waving in the bushes,” he said.

“She found seven dead horses in one section and five in another.”

Mr Mitchell said he’d been concerned about the horses for months.

“We called the RSPCA in the week leading up to Easter and we’re not sure they got our here to check them,” he said.

“They were asking questions about the conditions and I said it was pretty serious.”

RSPCA Victoria said initial reports received of starving horses at a Bulla property last month didn’t reflect the extent of the situation.

Acting chief executive Jon McGregor said the RSPCA received a report from the public of starving horses at the Batey Crt property on March 22.

media_camera Police and RSPCA use bolt cutters to gain access to the property. Picture: Nicole Garmston

But Mr McGregor said the initial report didn’t describe the situation that was uncovered by police yesterday.

“We regret that this report didn’t accurately describe the situation that was uncovered yesterday and that observations from outside the property did not reveal the true extent of what lay within,” he said.

The RSPCA said it didn’t enter the Bulla property or speak to the owner after the initial report.

RSPCA Victoria said the owner of this property is known to them and the property is one which is not be attended without police support for safety reasons.

The RSPCA said it received another call from a member of the public yesterday (Sunday) with more information about the horse’s condition.

“We received another call from a member of the public yesterday that provided detailed information about the condition of horses including that there were deceased horses and one in very poor condition requiring immediate care,” he said.

“This is an appalling situation. It is a tragedy that animals would be left to suffer in this way.”

media_camera Horses stand in a paddock at the property this morning. Picture: AAP

media_camera The stable and house at the Bulla property where 22 horses were found dead. Picture: Nicole Garmston

media_camera Causing death by neglect carries up to two years in jail. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Mr Akers last raced thoroughbreds in 2011, with a previous base in Geelong.

Neighbours said he lived alone at the property and had been based in Bulla for 12 years.

Cherie Mitchell said she had an unpleasant confrontation with him last year.

She said Mr Akers became fired up when her husband asked to go onto his property to remove overhanging tree branches.

RSPCA spokeswoman Natalie Filmer said if the owner was found guilty of causing death by neglect, they could face up to two years imprisonment, a $74,620 fine and be banned from owning any animal for at least 10 years.

Neighbour Julie Brown did not report the smell, but said she was revolted by the horrific neglect, claiming up to 50 steeds were regularly locked away in a stuffy stable.

“It’s blown us away, it’s just horrific,” she said.

On Friday she called the council after seeing four emaciated horses on the property, barely clinging to life.

“The ones down the bottom were exceptionally skinny,” she said.

SES and CFA volunteers assisted police with the horrific task of sorting through the corpses of the horses.

Anyone with any information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1300 333 000 or submit a confidential report at crimestoppersvic.com.au

Kara.Irving@news.com.au