A Southwest equine welfare charity has shared the sad news that one of its ponies, rescued in a highly publicised welfare neglect case two years ago has had to be put to sleep.
The Mare and Foal Sanctuary posted on its website:
It’s with great sadness that we share the news that little Poppy had to be put to sleep recently. This beautiful Shetland was rescued two years ago from an animal centre in Cornwall in one of the worst cases of neglect our welfare officers have ever encountered.
As part of a multi-agency operation in late summer 2022 we rescued 13 horses and ponies from Family Nest Therapy CIC in Par. Many of the equines were in a very poor state. Their bones showed through their skin, and some were covered in paint brush marks from children’s parties. Some ponies were showing signs of severe depression and sadly, one thoroughbred cross, Mollie, didn’t survive.
The case was widely reported in the media in February when the owners and yard manager were given suspended prison sentences and bans on keeping animals.
When Poppy came to us, she was extremely underweight, scoring just 1 out of 5 on her body condition score. She was suffering from lice and worms which were causing chronic internal inflammation. She also had cuts and scabs on her body and seriously overgrown hooves that meant she was wobbly when she walked. She had suffered long-term neglect, and her basic needs had not been met for a long time.
Poppy was extremely timid and although our Sanctuary Care team worked hard to reassure her and build her confidence around dental treatment, she remained nervous. A full dental examination revealed many issues that would have been causing Poppy pain, and our expert vets set to work correcting Poppy’s teeth, removing several earlier this year. After further serious problems with her remaining teeth, we made the very difficult decision that it was kinder not to continue treatment.
Ponies need regular vet checks and dentistry to maintain healthy lives. They spend around 18 hours a day eating, so having healthy teeth is essential for survival. Serious dental issues are one of the most common reasons why equines may need to be put to sleep.
Saskia Joesbury, Sanctuary Manager says: ‘We feel devastated to say goodbye to Poppy because she was such a sweet and courageous girl who completely won our hearts. There were times we could see the effort she was making to be brave, and we’re so proud of her for showing so much courage after what must have been a terrible existence. She would often run to the gate to wait for us because she loved cuddles and scratches, and she gave us many signs that she enjoyed her time in the fields with her companions Sherbert and Lola.
‘We’re glad to have been able to give Poppy a great deal of love and care in the last two years of her life. Every horse or pony in our care leaves a hoofprint in our hearts and we all hope Poppy felt loved and valued at the end.’
Poppy’s assigned handler Jade Jackson says: ‘It was such a privilege to be a part of her journey. Poppy was more than an assigned pony to me. I am so grateful to have been able to gain her trust, forming a bond that will always have a big, special place in my heart. I know for sure that the team will miss her, as she was without doubt so special to us all.’
Because of the kindness of our wonderful supporters, we are able to rescue severely neglected ponies like Poppy and give them the love, dignity, and respect they deserve. We can also educate and support owners to give better long-term care to horses and ponies.
Thank you for making a difference to Poppy’s life.
The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s Director of Fundraising and Communications, Dawn Vincent, believes Poppy’s story has captured the hearts of many of the Sanctuary’s supporters. She says: ‘I’ve been working with equines for more than 25 years and have seen some shocking welfare cases, but the Family Nest rescue affected us deeply. Some of our senior welfare advisors described it as the worst example of neglect they had ever experienced. The Sanctuary’s care team and vets worked around the clock to treat and rehabilitate all the horses and ponies that we rescued and spent a lot of time getting to understand their needs. We’ll always work in the best interests of each individual pony, and it was clear that the extensive dental work Poppy needed due to years of neglect would have been extremely distressing for her.
‘We know that Poppy’s final two years with us were filled with the best care at our peaceful Honeysuckle Sanctuary in Newton Abbot. Sherbert, her longest standing field companion is now sharing a paddock with our two rescued foals Netty and Chandler, who came to us at the end of last year and it’s great to see they are all getting on really well.
‘We have had so many kind messages of support after featuring this case in one of our appeals and would like to say a huge thank you again to everyone who has shared Poppy’s story, raised awareness about the importance of responsible animal care and donated to the charity to help more horses and ponies like Poppy.’
You can find out more about the horses and ponies the Sanctuary looks after at: www.mareandfoal.org
