Fears rescued horse ‘being left to die’
RESIDENTS SAY ANIMAL IS HARDLY MOVING
SHOCKED residents fear a horse has been “left to die” in a Hull park following its rescue from a waterlogged ditch.
Emergency services were called to Cropton Park in Bricknell after concerned residents raised the alarm on Wednesday, February 24. The animal had slipped into a waterlogged ditch, reportedly leaving it unable to breath.
The RSPCA confirmed it had been called to the incident and said it is aware of “ongoing concern” for horses in the area.
One member of the public said: “Yesterday morning the horse was laid out on the bank, but every time it kicked its back legs and attempted to get up, it slipped further down and ended up in ditch.
“Its head was laid on the bank initially, but the more it thrust it ended up fully under the water.”
Humberside Fire and Rescue Service attended, with residents reporting that a crew entered the water to hold the horse’s head above water.
With the help of a vet and tactical rescue team, the horse was eventually freed from the waterlogged ditch using a strap and slide board. It all, the effort took three hours.
But despite the rescue of the animal, residents continue to be concerned, with fears the horse has been “left to die” along with other horses in the same field. One said she had seen the horse move its leg once on Thursday morning.
“What can you do?” she said. “The poor thing has just been left there to die. It’s shocking and upsetting.
“All the rain we have had. There is no grass. It’s just mud and the horses are just wallowing about in this mud. I don’t understand why they didn’t put the poor horse down yesterday instead of leaving it to suffer like it is to die, like it is and it will.
“To me it’s disgusting and not just to me but to everyone around here.”
Another woman said: “I have been reporting this for over a year now and I have rung a few times and they did send an inspector around and his advice was that they were fine. How you could go and see the horses there and say they were absolutely fine baffled me.
“It’s this tiny little muddy field with this ditch, no grass or anything. I just knew it was going to happen one day, I was really really upset to hear about it. When it gets wet it’s like they are living in a quagmire, it’s absolutely awful for them.”
The worried woman says she witnesses the horses “huddled together, looking miserable”.
She said: “They would come across to the fence sometimes because I would take them some carrots. But it was frightening because every time they came, you thought one of them was going to fall and break a leg or something because it was so bad underfoot for them.
“It’s just not a suitable environment, especially for three horses, it is not even big enough for one really.”
A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “The RSPCA received a report on February 24, that a horse had broken through some fencing and become stuck in a ditch near Cropton Road. Thanks to the efforts of the fire and rescue services, the horse was brought to safety.
“We are aware of ongoing concerns regarding horses in this area and we continue to monitor the situation. The fencing is also being fixed to ensure that the horses cannot break through again.
“Unfortunately we are unable to discuss complaints about specific people and what action may have been taken.”