When I stop to consider the wonderful creatures we share this planet with, I wonder how anyone in their right mind can hurt and abuse them.
Of course, almost every day we hear of instances of animal neglect or maltreatment. Some people just have a mean streak in them that others don’t, I guess.
One woman, from Cornwall, England, has avoided jail despite starving and neglecting 25 horses in one of the worst cases animal protection services have ever seen.
As per reports, Amanda Thorne, 41, showed no remorse for starving 25 horses, killing one of them.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) labelled it one of the “cruellest” acts of neglect they’d ever seen, having only been alerted to the condition of the horses by a concerned neighbor.
District Judge Diana Baker said: “The horses were starving to death, they were not being treated for their ailments. Their hooves were not being trimmed. They were in a pitiful state.
“You have shown no remorse for what happened and you blamed others. Concerned members of the public brought this matter to to the attention of the RSPCA. One of the experts said that this could have been a whole lot worse if they had not brought the matter to their attention.”
It’s said the horses lacked basic amenities like clean housing, decent food, fresh drinking water, a dry area to lie down, parasitic control, and adequate exercise.
Four of the 25 horses were found to be malnourished, while eight had overgrown hooves. One had to be given urgent veterinary care for a foot abscess, rain scald, lymphangitis, cellulitis and wounds. The RSCPA recovered all of the horses, but not before one had sadly died.
As per reports, Judge Baker had considered sending Thorne, a mother-of-two, to jail, but instead decided to suspend her six-month term for 12 months.
“I have given you a chance, I have given your children a chance and your parents a chance. If you breach any part of the order your feet will not touch the ground,” Baker said.
Thorne must complete 15 days of her probation’s Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, as well as pay £15,000 towards the RSPCA’s costs. She’ll also be forced to wear an electronic tag for a four-month seven-day-a-week curfew.
The lead RSCPA officer on Thorne’s case, Jo Pearson, said: “It is completely the right sentence for this lady. I have been working for the RSPCA as an inspector for 20 years and it is one of the cruellest cases I have ever seen. Without members of the public coming to us with the information, she would never have been brought before the courts today.”
I will never understand how people can find it within themselves to hurt animals.
Share this story if you stand against animal abuse in all its ugly forms.
