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Thursday, 12 May 2011

CASE THROWN OUT AFTER RSPCA BREAK INTO STABLES

A TOP pony showman has hit out at the “over-zealous” approach of RSPCA inspectors who landed him in court.
David Roberts faced 10 animal welfare charges but all were thrown out by a judge sitting at Caernarfon Crown Court last week.
He said the whole process had been pointless and had cast a two-year shadow over his business and family.
“It’s been a nightmare that’s been hanging over us for two years,” he said.
"The case could have cost me my reputation but it really should never have been brought in the first place.”
Mr Roberts, 56, who breeds and shows Section B Welsh Ponies, is the winner of many county breed titles in both Wales and England.
His ponies are stabled near Waunfawr and he visits them daily from his home in Caernarfon.
Two years ago he was shocked to discover two RSPCA vans and a police car outside the stables.
It followed an unannounced visit by the animal welfare charity a few days earlier, when an RSPCA officer had expressed concern about the condition of two mares out in a field.
Mr Roberts said: “I arrived on a Monday evening to feed the animals when I saw the vans parked outside.
They’d broken into the stables and were in the process of loading up the two mares and a foal into trailers.
“At no time were they interested in discussing the situation.
“I was never told where the mares went – they just disappeared.”
Charges ranged from a failure to pick up horse droppings to empty hay nets.
RSPCA officers also described a smell of urine and said they had found an empty water bucket.
Mr Roberts accused the animal welfare charity of going out of its way to find fault in what was otherwise a well-run stable.
He said: “Yes, one water bucket was empty, but there were five others that weren’t. And while the nets were empty, but that’s because the ponies had eaten the hay.
“I muck out every day but like most stables, I don’t replace the straw every time – I tend to have a spring clean at the weekends.”
The RSPCA’s main concern was the condition of the mares. In court it was made clear these had been loaned out to a lady who had failed to look after them.
Following a phone call from a worried neighbour, Mr Roberts had seized them back a few weeks prior to the RSPCA visit, and was in the process of restoring them to health.
“I had wormed them and de-liced them but the RSPCA insisted the mares were still my responsibility when they were loaned out,” he said.
“This was rejected by the court.”
Solicitor Gareth Parry, defending, accused the animal charity of not fully investigating the case before bringing it to court.
“It was a rush to judgement,” he said.
Mr Roberts said he didn’t harbour ill-feelings towards the RSPCA but added: “This case shows they don’t always get it right.
“All it needed was a phone call and a bit of commonsense.”
An RSPCA spokesman said the case had been investigated thoroughly and the prosecution had been brought in good faith. He added: “The RSPCA's mandate is to prevent animal cruelty and our interventions are always based on this conviction.”

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/farming-north-wales/farming-news/2011/05/12/rspca-should-never-have-taken-me-to-court-says-caernarfon-pony-breeder-55578-28678991/

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