Trader loses bid to prevent horses being destroyed

An urgent application by a Bronkhorstspruit horse trader to stop animal rescue centre Wet Nose from putting down 10 of his horses has been struck off the roll in the High Court in Pretoria.

Horse trader Jameel Hassim sought an urgent court order to stop Wet Nose from destroying his horses and to pay him the proceeds if any of his horses had been sold or donated to anyone else.

Wet Nose seized the horses – some of them allegedly severely emaciated – last month after obtaining a warrant in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court.

One of the horses had to be put down by a veterinarian on Friday last week because it’s front leg was so badly injured it was untreatable and the horse was in tremendous pain.

Wet Nose animal welfare inspector Jacques van der Merwe said in court papers it was clear from a veterinary report the horses were underweight, their hooves were in a state and their coats dull and patchy.

Counsel for Wet Nose, Calyn D’Alton, argued that the matter was not urgent as the centre had already given an undertaking not to put down the other horses unless it was necessary.

She argued some of the horses were definitely not in a good condition when they were seized, but the animals were now well cared for and were receiving veterinary care.

Hassim claimed in court papers his veterinary surgeon had assured him there was nothing wrong with his horses, but D’Alton said it appeared the veterinary surgeon never even got out of his car, or he would have noticed the injuries on some of the animals.

It was argued on behalf of Hassim t he did not believe his horse was put down for good reason and he feared Wet Nose would put down some of the other horses, despite their undertaking.

Judge Mmonoa Teffo ruled the application was not urgent.

The judge struck the case off the roll.

Hassim said in court papers he had a brain tumour and his wife was unemployed.

He submitted that his only means of maintaining his family was by trading in horses.