The original verdict in the Amersham animal cruelty case has been upheld today at Aylesbury Crown Court.
We wanted to let you, our valued supporters, know as soon as we did: the original verdict in the Amersham animal cruelty case (brought by the RSPCA) has been upheld today (6 May 2010).
All five defendants were appealing against charges of neglect and cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Two of the charges were dismissed earlier in the appeal hearing, and the juvenile male was acquitted of a further two today. The rest were upheld by presiding judge Christopher Tyrer today following 33 days of evidence.
The appeal against sentence will take place on May 12th, also at Aylesbury Crown Court at 10am
Full article
More than 7000 people have already signed a petition organised by the National Equine Welfare Council to prevent the return of 29 ponies and donkeys to Spindle Farm in Amersham. Please help us by adding your signature here: http://www.gopetition.com/online/18321.html
On 9 January, Redwings was involved in a large rescue of horses from Buckinghamshire; we took in 21 horses, ponies and donkeys that day for veterinary care including donkey foal Esther. This was an RSPCA-led case involving local Police and other charities including the ILPH, the Horse Trust and the Blue Cross. All organisations concerned worked as a team, and Redwings was pleased to involve 30 of its staff and eight horseboxes.
On 4 April a judge at Oxford Magistrates Court ruled that 29 ponies and donkeys should be returned to the family’s care, whilst another 80 or so are to be sold at auction in May.
We have been overwhelmed with calls and emails from the public. Most are shocked, some angry, others distraught: there are many emotions involved for many people (including us). We are being asked many questions. In response to the question of what you can do to help, there is now an official petition you can sign. Please click here >>>>> to access the petition, organised by the NEWC.
If you wish to download a copy of the petition so you can encourage others to sign up, click here to download a PDF version >>>>>>>>>. Once it’s completed, return it to the Rt Hon Jack Straw MP Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Ministry of Justice, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
You can also write to your local MP and the MP for Amersham, Mrs Cheryl Gillian MP. Simply download this letter template to get started >>>>>.
The equines currently in our care are a combination of those to be returned to the farm we collected them from and those to be sold at auction. The donkeys we are expecting to return to the farm are Mary, Martha, Esther, Carmel, Leah, Deborah, Jemima & Caleb. Since arriving Mary gave birth to Timothy, so he is due to leave us as well. The Shetland ponies that are due to be returned to the farm are Pinocchio, Miss Muffet, Rapunzel, Gretel, Snow White, Elsie, Cinders & Thumbelina. Since they have been in our care and in the last few weeks, Elsie has given birth to a foal called Tinkerbell and Gretel also has a young foal at foot called Belle. These foals are also to leave us and our care. When they came these equines had numbers; we have since named them as is our practice with all the hundreds of equines that have come into our care over the years.
Redwings has a lot of experience in sending veterinary and horse handling staff, and vehicles, to rescue operations but this has been described by many of the 30 Redwings staff present on 9 January as one of the saddest cases that they have witnessed. Last week’s news was therefore understandably difficult for all our veterinary, welfare, horse care, administration and management teams.
Redwings’ two senior vets have between them over 35 years of dedicated equine welfare experience and have in this time encountered many complex cases. Their concern particularly extends to the donkeys, the most sensitive of equines.
Despite their despair, Redwings staff will naturally continue to provide the dedicated and specialist care these horses, ponies and donkeys need every day.
We are aware that our supporters are desperate for news or reassurance and just as we did during the rescue we will let you know what we can when we can. We thanked you in January from the bottom of our hearts for your words of support and encouragement, and we thank you again. As always, the future of the equines is our priority as it is yours.
Thank you.
