A member of the public contacted the animal charity after seeing the two ponies in a field in Highfield Road, on Thursday 19 April. One of the ponies had collapsed and was breathing rapidly.
When RSPCA inspector Vicki Taylor arrived, the member of the public had managed to get the pony to stand - however, she was so weak and dehydrated that she was shaking uncontrollably.
“She was clearly in a bad way,” said Inspector Taylor. “A vet was of the opinion that the ponies were dehydrated and there was no water in the field. This was during the spell of hot weather we had.
“As well as being dehydrated, the ponies were emaciated. We contacted the police, who seized the ponies, which allowed us to remove them and take them into a private boarding establishment so that they could be cared for.
“Despite making enquiries, we haven’t been able to establish who these horses belong to. We are urging anyone who has any information to contact us in complete confidence on 0300 123 8018.”
Last week, the RSPCA revealed that the number of horses rescued by the charity has reached a four-year high, as the equine crisis continues to have devastating consequences.
The charity’s annual Cruelty Statistics revealed that nearly 1,000 horses were rescued by the charity from cruelty, suffering and neglect last year (2017), and a staggering 928 horses are currently in the charity's care.
The national horse crisis, which charities first highlighted in 2012, has since seen RSPCA officers called out to neglected and abandoned horses every day in England and Wales, with many of the animals extremely sick or dying.
