Why was this horse put down?

[pinkypug1]

There r hundreds if not thousands of horses standing on all 4 legs at present that for their own good should be put down & not passed from pillar to post being neglected!! Putting an animal to sleep is not cruel if it's for the good of the animal and the population of the horse in general. I feel it's time to weed out the c**p rather than filling rescue centre a to bursting point !

 

[Lammy]

I think it's very interesting how threads on this forum turn into a form of Chinese whispers, with posters being ascribed sentiments and reasoning that they have never expressed.
I have never said that the horse should not have been PTS.
The article merely states that the horse was PTS to prevent further suffering. This could be interpreted as a myriad of things:
It could be that the horse had sustained a mortal injury.
It could be that the horse sustained a treatable injury but had other problems and was PTS.-
It could be that the horse was treatable but the rspca decided that it did not want to pay for treatment because it might be left with the bill (in which case why not be honest about it?).
It could be that the animal was PTS because the owner could not be found to make a decision.

I'm sure there are probably many other alternatives, but in answer to the question 'why was this horse put to sleep' - no one knows because they weren't there!

"It could be that the horse had sustained a mortal injury"

It was stabbed five times. Good enough reason to PTS a stray horse IMO.

 

[MissTyc]

As above, externally horses can frequently look "ok" ... a bit of blood, a "small" wound ... and inside they are dying already. Even if no major organs ruptured, thugs rarely sterilise their knives before stabbing and the infection risk for deep wounds is enormous. Many horses, with the best vet care, don't survive puncture wounds. I have to believe that the decision was made because in the moment, with a distressed young, injured cob, it was the kindest thing to do. Could he have been saved? We'll never know, but "can it be saved" should never be the reason to avoid euthanasia, esp when the pony doesn't have a future to return to.

 

[Queenbee]

Almost as barbaric as the racehorse that was shot after it's injuries. Who in the right mind would think to PTS horses who are suffering immense pain when they could try to nurture them back to health for their own gratification at great suffering to the horse?

Very well said

 

[conniegirl]

I've had a quick look at the photos again, there is also a stab wound at the front of the horse between its ribs, that is most likely a punctured and collapsed lung and alone would be a reason to PTS.
Its hard enough to repair and reinflate a human lung, very very painful and terrifying even when you can understand what is going on!

 

[SusieT]

looks to me like chest and abdominal wounds in there- neither of which are saveable really

 

[Penny Less]

OP was asking a question wasn't saying it was wrong. Not surprised she hasn't reposted given some of the replies

 

[Enfys]

Oh how I wish HHO had a like button.

 

[el_Snowflakes]

poor horse. The vet obviously acted in the best interest of the animal.........surely the real question here is why on earth would a human being stab an innocent animal?

 

[MagicMelon]

poor horse. The vet obviously acted in the best interest of the animal.........surely the real question here is why on earth would a human being stab an innocent animal?

Because sadly there are some very very nasty individuals in the world I hope they have the same done to them.

 

[char3479]

There's that theory about people who start on animals and progress to humans...

 

[blitznbobs]

There's that theory about people who start on animals and progress to humans...

thats not a theory... it's part of the psychopathic triad (the other 2 parts are fire starting and bed wetting...)

 

[Tnavas]

It was put down because the vet in attendance recommended it based on his/her professional assessment of the injuries. As was the horse shot after shattering a fore cannon (a non-survivable injury). Not everything can be fixed; not everything should be fixed. Sometimes it is more humane to euthanise.

This! ^^^^^

The stab wound in the flank may have been deep, penetrating internal organs which would lead to peritonitis.

 

[charlie_george]

I can't believe how rude people on here are, I too thought the same when I first saw this article, I was expecting to see more blood everywhere, but then I'm no vet and of course everything else is considered too. I'm not against the horse being PTS, animals are slaughtered all day everyday for food.
I'm just surprised that this forum keeps going, I'm always to scared to ask a question for the fear of being shot down in flames! This forum could be such a great place, its a real shame that people feel they have to jump down others throats!

 

[Grumpy Herbert]

If we had a properly regulated and monitored licensing type system for all horse owners/breeders, then maybe there would be fewer ill-bred and neglected ponies left tethered at the side of the road for brainless morons to stab.

Personally, I would rather animals like this were humanely destroyed than left to suffer - even without having been stabbed, what sort of life did this poor animal have? Not one full of loving care, I bet. But even better, I would rather they had never been bred in the first place.

 

[Merrymoles]

I posted a link to the BBC article on this when it first appeared.

As someone fairly local to the area, I can tell you that there have been endless problems caused by loose horses wandering on to main roads and fly grazing within a couple of miles of this location. The MP for the area has been working on the fly-grazing Bill because of it. Here is another link which gives more information http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news...ng-battle-to-beat-horse-fly-grazing-1-6801509.

In it, there is comment about the difficulty in tracing owners of the horses and, although I obviously don't know if this is the case, I strongly suspect that it was a factor in this particular incident. Yes, the RSPCA could have (and may have) been willing to take on the pony but that would be only the beginning of safeguarding its future.

I also believe, given the number of experienced equine vets in the area, that the decision to PTS was made by someone very qualified to do so. There are many ways of reading stories and pictures but when I look at the last picture in the original link, I see a horse which looks as though it has given up.

 

[Fides]

E

Personally, I would rather animals like this were humanely destroyed than left to suffer - even without having been stabbed, what sort of life did this poor animal have? Not one full of loving care, I bet. But even better, I would rather they had never been bred in the first place.

As long as a horse has food, water, somewhere to shelter and equine company it doesn't care if it is 'loved' or has a stable. This does not mean they are neglected. My horses rarely see the inside of a stable - it certainly doesn't mean they are neglected

 

[touchstone]

E

As long as a horse has food, water, somewhere to shelter and equine company it doesn't care if it is 'loved' or has a stable. This does not mean they are neglected. My horses rarely see the inside of a stable - it certainly doesn't mean they are neglected

I agree with Grumpy Herbert totally, there was no mention of stabling, so not sure why you've mentioned that? This horse was straying, and tethering at the side of the road is a far from ideal way of caring for a horse on a permanent basis.

 

[Spring Feather]

I can't believe how rude people on here are, I too thought the same when I first saw this article, I was expecting to see more blood everywhere, but then I'm no vet and of course everything else is considered too. I'm not against the horse being PTS, animals are slaughtered all day everyday for food.
I'm just surprised that this forum keeps going, I'm always to scared to ask a question for the fear of being shot down in flames! This forum could be such a great place, its a real shame that people feel they have to jump down others throats!

I have to say I was also surprised at how quickly the OP was jumped on. I looked at the link and I don't think it's unreasonable to ask, specifically, why the horse was PTS, as it's certainly not apparent based on just the photos.

As to your other point, it's only cyber flames so don't feel nervous of posting

 

[Dave's Mam]

I feel necessary to fling my 50p worth in. No, there was not a lot of blood, but the wounds my have stopped bleeding. The article did not mention other factors which the vet would have taken into consideration. The animals temperature, heart rate, fluid levels etc. The pony looks tired & broken, it may have been in a lot of pain for quite some time. Why make the poor little sod suffer more, just to make us humans feel better by "saving" him. Do you not think he had been through quite enough?
RIP, you poor little sausage.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

I posted a link to the BBC article on this when it first appeared.

As someone fairly local to the area, I can tell you that there have been endless problems caused by loose horses wandering on to main roads and fly grazing within a couple of miles of this location. The MP for the area has been working on the fly-grazing Bill because of it. Here is another link which gives more information http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news...ng-battle-to-beat-horse-fly-grazing-1-6801509.

In it, there is comment about the difficulty in tracing owners of the horses and, although I obviously don't know if this is the case, I strongly suspect that it was a factor in this particular incident. Yes, the RSPCA could have (and may have) been willing to take on the pony but that would be only the beginning of safeguarding its future.

I also believe, given the number of experienced equine vets in the area, that the decision to PTS was made by someone very qualified to do so. There are many ways of reading stories and pictures but when I look at the last picture in the original link, I see a horse which looks as though it has given up.

Are they owned by those who can't be named?

 

[Fides]

I agree with Grumpy Herbert totally, there was no mention of stabling, so not sure why you've mentioned that? This horse was straying, and tethering at the side of the road is a far from ideal way of caring for a horse on a permanent basis.

I read stabbed as stabled - that'll teach me

 

[Dave's Mam]

Hahahaha!

 

[Echo Bravo]

Both horses are dead and no longer in pain, one not looked after very well and no doubt was a revenge attack and the other doing a job he was bred for and did it well and well looked after, Why Cobgoblin would want to be there and demand an explanation why PTS beggars believe. This is what gets my goat, one had nasty stab wounds and the other shattered a leg and people are saying why PTS. Cloud Cuckoo Land not everything can be fixed.

 

[char3479]

Nothing like a good discussion of welfare issues though - it would be a shame if no-one cared enough to question things, would it not?

 

[Echo Bravo]

So if Wigham Hall had been saved but left permanently lame and in pain would have to be on painkillers for the rest of his maybe long life would that have been kind to the horse. Look at poor Nicholas Abbey what they put him through and still had to PTS after several weeks.

 

[touchstone]

I read stabbed as stabled - that'll teach me

Lol, that explains it then, I thought it was an odd reply from you

 

[FionaM12]

I read stabbed as stabled - that'll teach me

 

[PolarSkye]

Are they owned by those who can't be named?

If you mean travellers and gypsies then quite possibly . . . however, I keep my lovely horse on a private yard owned by travellers and can absolutely attest that their horses are beautifully cared for and want for nothing. Let's not jump to conclusions and tar all people by one brush, eh?

P

 

[FionaM12]

I think the reason the OP's question is getting a rough ride is that it's obvious no-one here can answer it so it doesn't look like a genuine question.

The only people who know on exactly what grounds the decision was made are bound by professional confidentiality so they're hardly going to come here to explain, nor should they.