A WELSH horse dealer with a former conviction for animal abuse has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for life after being found guilty of 32 charges causing unnecessary suffering to animals.

At Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ court in Wales last week, Tim Price was sentenced to six months in prison. The court heard 240 horses were taken into care after they were found in “atrocious” conditions.

In August 2019, animal welfare officers discovered a flock of Jacob sheep whose fleeces were unshorn with many suffering from the effects of maggots and associated wounds. In January 2020, welfare officers found horses belonging to Price who were in deep mud with no food, a lack of clean water, and hazards such as metal and barbed wire. At one site, horses were kept in overcrowded, filthy conditions with nowhere to lie down. Price was charged with causing unnecessary suffering to eight horses, some of which were significantly underweight. The 56-year-old had previously been banned from keeping animals for five years.

Petting farm horror

The DSPCA (Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) had its largest intake of animals at any one time last week when over 140 animals were rescued from a north Dublin petting farm after concerns about their welfare.

Animals included two ponies with foals at foot and a heavily pregnant donkey, as well as 31 dogs, 46 rabbits, nine guinea pigs, six geese, 37 chickens, nine pigeons, six goats. A number of other horses and donkeys were rescued and relocated to other animal charities.

The DSPCA responded to a call from the Gardaí. “This has been the largest intake of animals for the DSPCA at any one time and it has been a very difficult, emotional and extremely busy week for all the staff. Seeing innocent, young and vulnerable animals being kept in these condition is absolutely heart breaking. These animals were locked in cages, hutches, pens and sheds day and night.”