A two-year-old pony found in Fairhill had to be put down because of the extent of the abuse it had endured. Photo: My Lovely Horse Rescue

"Worst ever case of horse neglect" at Fairhill

A pony found in an abhorrent condition in Fairhill on Sunday night had to be put down as it was in such pain.

Volunteers from My Lovely Horse Rescue, a charity organisation which rescues equines in Ireland, attended to the two-year-old pony along with members of the Gardaí.

Described by the animal charity as "starved, battered, abused, used and dumped like rubbish", the decision was ultimately taken to put the animal out of its misery.

Kelly Mellerick, who was at the scene with her co-volunteer Janette told The Echo: "I had to take a breath when I saw the pony.

"I couldn't actually absorb how bad a state she was in. Her body was emaciated and there was rotting flesh all over. It looked like her eyes had been burned."

Kelly had hoped the animal might have been able to be saved before she got to the scene, but upon discovering the pony, she knew there was no hope.

"I asked the guard from Gurranabraher should I bring a horsebox, but he said he didn't think so.

Kelly, who works full time as a Property Manager, said: "Unfortunately cases of neglect are part and parcel of what I see on a regular basis, but this was the worst case of horse neglect I have ever experienced."

Separately, figures published yesterday by Cork County Council show that of the 63 horses collected last year, 56 of them were euthanised due to their poor condition from neglect and malnutrition.

Director of Environment Louis Duffy explained that too often horses are far too neglected to be nursed back to health or handed over to a charity to be looked after and to minimise the distress to the animal the council make the decision to euthanise them.

Mr Duffy also said that the animals were usually stray animals and no one was prosecuted in relation to the neglect.

East Cork Councillor Anthony Barry said if any farm animal was treated in this manner the department would “come down on you like a tonne of bricks” and for any animal to be left in this condition was completely unacceptable.

The report also showed that so far this year, from January to September, 65 horses had been collected by the council.

Of these horses, 14 were in the Kanturk and Mallow area, 17 were found in Fermoy, 15 were in West Cork and eight were in Cobh.

Four were in Macroom and seven in Bandon and Kinsale.

Of these 65, five were reclaimed, 35 were rehomed by a rescue charity facility, 21 were euthanised and four were sent to sanctuaries.