Shock as horse dies of starvation and neglect

Locals expressed shock after a horse was left to die of stress and starvation in a field in Tyrrelstown last week.
The seven-year-old cob mare was left tethered to a tree in a field opposite the graveyard on Church Road and died from heart failure brought on by the cruel conditions she was kept in.
Locals alerted My Lovely Horse Rescue (MLHR) – a volunteer-run charity that rescues and rehomes horses who have been mistreated – on Thursday night after it became apparent that the horse could not stand up on its own.
Volunteers from the organisation arrived at the scene, along with a vet from Ratoath Vets, but it was too late to save the mare, who they named Pippa.
In a statement on their Facebook page, MLHR said: “Pippa deserved so much more than this. Cruelty and negligence left her suffering in appalling conditions in the last days of her life.”
Concerned residents also attended the scene, with one person donating their jacket so that Pippa could rest her head on it while she was tended to by the vet.
Locals expressed shock and sadness on social media and said that it was an ongoing problem in the area.
Eileen Thomas commented: “Rest in peace Pippa. Another innocent animal destroyed and let down by people.”
Meadhbh Cahill added: “I live in the area too and have reported horses in terrible condition numerous times, but there seems to be no regular checks of the area. I would love to see people prosecuted for this cruelty. Really upsetting.”
Pippa had been left tethered to a tree for some time and had cuts on her legs from where she possibly became tangled in the rope trying to break free.
She was also wearing an indoor coat, which added to her suffering as it would have allowed rain to soak through, making her cold as well as adding extra weight to her body.
MLHR are appealing to locals to pass on any information about Pippa’s owner to the gardai.
They said: “We want to find and prosecute this person. There are laws in place to prosecute against animal/horse cruelty.”
They have asked that anyone with information contact Garda Barry Thomey at Blanchardstown Garda Station at 01 666 7000.