Whispering Willows and Alternative sanctuary

[exracehorse]

I’m on WW and I do follow them. And I have to say, she was absolutely fantastic yesterday with regards to a cruelty case in Wales. She had been tipped off about a group of Shetlands with hooves so long they were curled up like Aladdin slippers and into the knees. There were also dead sheep carcasses spread about. She filmed it. Called the police. RSPCA. TS. And videoed the owner when he arrived. The owner has been named and shamed. She camped out at the property and refused to leave until the RSPCA called a vet.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I’m on WW and I do follow them. And I have to say, she was absolutely fantastic yesterday with regards to a cruelty case in Wales. She had been tipped off about a group of Shetlands with hooves so long they were curled up like Aladdin slippers and into the knees. There were also dead sheep carcasses spread about. She filmed it. Called the police. RSPCA. TS. And videoed the owner when he arrived. The owner has been named and shamed.

Thus buggering up a possible prosecution by naming publicly, why do non authorised people take things into their own hands to play policing! 🤬🤬

 

[The Trooper]

Thus buggering up a possible prosecution by naming publicly, why do non authorised people take things into their own hands to play policing! 🤬🤬

Animal cruelty punishments are laughable, public outing is probably far worse than a fine and ban from keeping animals.

I am neither a supporter or hater, I follow WW on Facebook as I like to know what is going on to be honest.

 

[meleeka]

Thus buggering up a possible prosecution by naming publicly, why do non authorised people take things into their own hands to play policing! 🤬🤬

Not necessarily so. Given that he’s not signing them over, the RSPCA could still ask the police to seize under the Animal Welfare Act and those ponies wouldn’t currently be suffering in a field.

It’s happened numerous tomes where people have been named and shamed on FB and have still been prosecuted (remember Thor? And the one caught on video beating the grey pony?). I don’t think the prosecution is the main thing here, but stopping those ponies suffering anymore should be.

Apparently the RSPCA haven’t taken them, despite their feet probably being beyond repair and them having no access to water. No doubt the owner has promised to get them sorted, but I’m not sure that’s even possible. There were also numerous dead sheep laying around which warrants further action.

I’m not a supporter usually, but on this occasion I think WW have done the right thing.

 

[ester]

They all looked to have lami, which is a bigger issue (but also the cause of) the feet. So trimming seems pretty unlikely to resolve anything.

 

[ycbm]

Thus buggering up a possible prosecution by naming publicly, why do non authorised people take things into their own hands to play policing! 🤬🤬

This isn't so. Suspects are often named by the Police, in the hope that more witnesses or victims of other crimes will come forward.

It doesn't matter who knows his name if he can be proven to have abused animals.

How many times on here do we read that the RSPCA were called but did nothing. What she did is better than that.

.

 

[fabbydo]

This current case is very interesting. The state of the ponies is horrific yet it took numerous phone calls and 18 hours for the RSPCA to get there. The RSPCA have always had a bad press in equine circles and now I can see why. The ponies are still there and have no access to water. WWS played it 'by the book' this time (calling the RSPCA and the police, arranging sedation and a farrier as well as speaking to the owners) and the ponies are still with the owners that did this to them. Why? We don't know. I don't understand it. In this case, I would have fully supported anyone taking these ponies (with veterinary supervision as they are in so much pain). The law needs to change and the authorities need to be braver when dealing with these situations. I am very confused as what to do if I ever found ponies like this. Just take them?This case should not be a pro or anti WWS debate, it's just horrific and very sad.

 

[meleeka]

This current case is very interesting. The state of the ponies is horrific yet it took numerous phone calls and 18 hours for the RSPCA to get there. The RSPCA have always had a bad press in equine circles and now I can see why. The ponies are still there and have no access to water. WWS played it 'by the book' this time (calling the RSPCA and the police, arranging sedation and a farrier as well as speaking to the owners) and the ponies are still with the owners that did this to them. Why? We don't know. I don't understand it. In this case, I would have fully supported anyone taking these ponies (with veterinary supervision as they are in so much pain). The law needs to change and the authorities need to be braver when dealing with these situations. I am very confused as what to do if I ever found ponies like this. Just take them?This case should not be a pro or anti WWS debate, it's just horrific and very sad.

The worst bit is we already have the Animal Welfare Act to deal with this (not to mention passport laws and microchipping laws that are probably being flouted too). I don’t agree that the law needs changing, It just needs enforcing!

 

[HairyH]

The law definitely needs some work, if nothing else, at least making more severe punishment available and yes then it does need enforcing, also public outing like this does make the chances of successful prosecution less likely, a good defence team would claim procedure wasn't followed and/or there's no chance of a fair trial and all sorts. I'm not a fan of the RSPCA, but I know they won't try to prosecute unless their legal team are fairly sure of success (which does make sense as far as wasting funds goes), in this situation with it being done so publicly and if it would be this man's first offence, it would probably be a none starter.
Let's hope they do keep a close eye on this situation from now on and hopefully they will get DEFRA involved over the sheep situation as they have much more power and don't mess about (although they won't be interested in the ponies).

 

[ester]

What I don't understand is why they called the RSPCA, that's never a recommendation from a horsey person for a multitude of reasons.

 

[meleeka]

What I don't understand is why they called the RSPCA, that's never a recommendation from a horsey person for a multitude of reasons.

I’m guessing she’s seen the criticism aimed at her for going against the law. If she called WHW she’d have been waiting days for them to visit and if she’d just called the police they’d have phoned the RSPCA anyway.

 

[southerncomfort]

It's all blown up on FB. The RSPCA put out a statement saying they had visited and are investigating.

They are getting ripped to shreds and rightly so.

 

[meleeka]

It's all blown up on FB. The RSPCA put out a statement saying they had visited and are investigating.

They are getting ripped to shreds and rightly so.

Where abouts on FB?

ETA it’s ok I found it 😀

 

[ester]

where did you find it

 

[meleeka]

where did you find it

On the RSPCA page

https://www.facebook.com/314425816068529/posts/450452412465868

 

[BMWKIPP]

Thus buggering up a possible prosecution by naming publicly, why do non authorised people take things into their own hands to play policing! 🤬🤬

The owner named himself! He is the vilest or human specimens, I saw the video and he did himself no favours at all, and named himself more than once

 

[ester]

oh I didn't know they had a H+P one, ta

 

[Cuffey]

To believe or not?
Watch the video
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=531165914090186&id=260986904441423

 

[whiteflower]

To believe or not?
Watch the video
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=531165914090186&id=260986904441423

Shame it's all about the people not the animals involved

 

[ester]

Seems likely true to me, given the evidence in Sandra's own videos which was already concerning.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Oh it's all coming out in the wash.

 

[ester]

more quickly than I expected too.

 

[honetpot]

That’s really sad.
Is some sort of personality disorder that attracts people to set up ‘rescues’ but then for what ever reason lose the plot.
At one point I had twelve spread over three fields which I did all by my self, I had been doing it for so long that one extra doesn’t matter but none of them had health issues and I had enough money to pay the bills.
To run any sort of rehabilitation yard takes a lot of time as well as money, once things start to slid it’s very hard to sort out.

 

[ester]

That or they see the ££ people are willing to give with the right social media outputs.

 

[Kaylum]

What has happened all I can pick out is the lady is in hospital and a foal has died and people are trying to get the horses water?

 

[Velcrobum]

There is also a goat that children were allowed to ride that is also dead. The rescues are not being cared for and have no water. Donations are not being used to care for the rescued animals.............

 

[Dave's Mam]

Apparently Sandra has a lovely set of new teeth.

 

[stormox]

Brave lady for speaking the truth. Well done. These fake rescues are all too common, taking peoples money on a false pretence of a 'rescue' and using it for their own benefit.

 

[Leo Walker]

I too thought it would take much longer than this. The place was a shambles even the bits they were showcasing, so god knows what the bits are like that they didnt show. I just hope its all over and done with quickly and any suffering animals are put out of their misery soon. Nothing deserves to end up at a place like this, nothing!

 

[Chinchilla]

That’s really sad.
Is some sort of personality disorder that attracts people to set up ‘rescues’ but then for what ever reason lose the plot./QUOTE]

What the hell....I hope this about personality disorders is some kind of sick, decidedly unamusing 'joke'. Sorry but saying things like that is 1) completely irrelevant; 2) does nothing to help the animals; and 3) stigmatising and horrible for people with PDs who look after their animals just fine.
Again. Apologies for going off topic.
My view on the whole sorry mess though is that all rescues should stop acting like exclusive white knight clubs saving the day, and pull together for the good of the animals....😔