A woman from Highbridge has been jailed for 18 weeks and banned from keeping horses for life after an RSPCA investigation found she had left two horses to suffer with horrendous untreated injuries.
Lynda Spalding, 57, of Highbridge, appeared before Weston-super-Mare Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (26th April) where she was sentenced after previously pleading guilty to three charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Two horses owned by Spalding were discovered with deep wounds to their forelimbs by the RSPCA after concerns were raised for their welfare.
RSPCA inspector Hayley Lawrence, who investigated alongside her colleague inspector Marie Griffiths, said: “This was a very distressing case where horses were left to suffer needlessly as a result of irresponsible ownership and lack of care.”
“These two horses were both left with serious injuries to their front legs for which no veterinary attention was sought.”
“Lynda Spalding was also in breach of a disqualification order, having been previously prosecuted and convicted of cruelty towards horses in 2014.”
“Courts impose disqualification orders on people convicted on animal welfare offences to protect further animals from suffering and it is saddening that she ignored that order and went on to cause further suffering to these poor horses.”
“We are grateful to the member of the public who contacted us. We depend on the public to be our eyes and ears and we take breaches of bans very seriously – as do the courts.”
Spalding was also ordered to pay £815 in court costs. Sadly, both horses had to be put to sleep because of the severity of their untreated injuries.
