An Ashburton man has been sentenced after his 12 horses were left underfed and in poor condition on a small paddock covered with rubbish.
Barry Alexander Hill, 55, had been keeping his dozen horses on a 1.2-hectare lifestyle property that had the capacity to hold only two horses.
When animal welfare inspectors visited the property, they found it was rundown, and the animals living in “hazardous conditions” with rubbish strewn across the paddock.
Ministry of Primary Industries district manager, animal welfare and NAIT compliance, Canterbury, Richard Notley said: “There was no grass cover to graze, and a lack of decent supplementary feed and water. Some horses were living in their own faeces, were underweight, ill or injured.”
Animal welfare inspectors visited the property “numerous times” and tried to get Hill to take responsibility for the animals.
He was told to euthanise two of the horses to “end their pain and suffering”. He was also issued an order to remove all horses from the property within seven days.
Notley said Hill failed to address any of MPI’s concerns, and also ignored the order to remove the horses.
“We again intervened and rehomed seven horses still on his property.”
He faced eight charges under the Animal Welfare Act, for which he was sentenced at the Ashburton District Court today.
Hill was banned from owning horses for three years and ordered to do 300 hours of community work. He was also placed on nine months of supervision and ordered to pay $5314.80 in reparations for vet costs.
“The horses’ suffering could have been avoided if Mr Hill had taken the action we earlier directed,” Notley said.
“When we find evidence of deliberate animal neglect, we take action.”