Cambridge locals are furious an extremely malnourished horse who they reported a year ago to the SPCA, has now been seized, just as they were trying to save it.
Leamington resident Maija Vance says she complained about ‘Jessie’s’ condition to the SPCA over a year ago, in January 2021 and made multiple follow up calls.
“Every time I called the SPCA I was met with we can’t give any info for members of the public even if it's the person that rang in” she said.
SPCA Inspectorate Team Leader Jason Blair says the January 2021 complaint was “investigated appropriately at the time. We have thoroughly searched our records and have found no evidence of any other complaint about this horse. Had we been made aware of concerns about its condition, we would have responded promptly and appropriately”
The Waipa District Council, who owns the paddocks, says it’s been aware for weeks of concerns about the elderly horse.
“Our advisor contacted the licenced grazer who owns the horse, seeking immediate veterinary treatment for the animal. The grazer did not call a vet so Council called a local vet. The grazer informed Council the horse was due to be euthanised Thursday” said Waipā District Council’s Chris Ryan.
Animal rescue advocates New Lives Rescue says they convinced the owner to give the mare up at the eleventh hour.
A vet was called, and the horse was deemed fit to travel but SPCA inspectors turned up and seized the mare Thursday morning.
Donna Young New LIves Animal Rescue says “I’m really upset and I’m freaking frustrated, this is disgusting that a horse gets like this… someone is happy to do something, take the horse on rehab this horse and they turn up to try and put a stop to it it’s disgusting.”
The owner has since told Newshub she feels she signed the horse over under duress, and the last few days have been “traumatic time for all our family.”
The woman gives no reason why ‘Jessie’ came to be so emaciated, but says “ Jessie has been a member of our family for many years, and I had realised that at 33 years, while mentally she was still happy, physically she was going downhill and so I had come to the hard decision that it was time to let her go with dignity.”
The mare has now been transported to an Equine Hospital, but hundreds of concerned people on social media are calling for news of ‘Jessie’s’ condition.
The SPCA is refusing to reveal her prognosis, saying “ A full investigation has been launched to determine how the horse came to be in its current condition, and we’re unable to discuss those details publicly at this time.”
