‘Shame on you,’ judge tells owner of starving horses
A horse-owner has been told, “Shame on you,” by a judge for clearly feeding himself while his animals were starving.
Christchurch District Court Judge Christopher Somerville banned Len Rex Edyvean from owning or having any control over horses for five years.
Edyvean, a 59-year-old beneficiary who lives in Christchurch, has now lost his 8 hectare farmlet near Cust through financial difficulties and a mortgagee sale.
He admitted a charge of failing to meet the physical health needs of six Appaloosa horses he owned.
Ministry for Primary Industries prosecutor Grant Fletcher told the court that Edyvean had not provided proper and sufficient food and water to the horses, leading to two colts and a stallion being destroyed.
In 2010, 11 horses on the property were found to be emaciated and Edyvean voluntarily euthanized four of them to alleviate unnecessary and unreasonable pain and distress.
A year later there was another complaint and a mare and a foal were both euthanized. Edyvean was given a warning letter.
In May this year there was a third complaint and the property was visited by a veterinarian and animal welfare inspectors. There was very little grass and the property was run down. The water in bathtubs was dirty and stale, and had to be refilled manually, which made the horses dependent on regular visits.
Three horses were found to be emaciated and were euthanized, and Edyvean was prosecuted.
The court was told that Edyvean had been struggling with financial and health issues, including five heart attacks, and the insertion of six stents into his heart. He acknowledged that the horses were “not in the best of condition” but they were put down because he could not care for them, and not because of ill health.
Because of Edyvean’s financial situation, Judge Somerville did not fine him but ordered him to pay veterinary fees of $1484 and imposed the ban on owning horses.
His horses had been in a disgraceful condition, said the judge. He told Edyvean: “I notice you are not in an emaciated condition. I expect you were feeding yourself before your horses. Shame on you.”
Category: News
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