Farmer banned from keeping animals after starving dog and horse are found on his land

A farmer has been given a court order to get rid of all his livestock after animals were found suffering on his land.
The horse's ribs and spine were visible, it was infected with lice, and was not used to being handled. Photo: RSPCAThe horse's ribs and spine were visible, it was infected with lice, and was not used to being handled. Photo: RSPCA
The horse's ribs and spine were visible, it was infected with lice, and was not used to being handled. Photo: RSPCA

David Davies was also given a 26-week prison term, suspended for two years, while he must pay £750 towards the costs of the RSPCA.

The animal charity was called in to investigate when he took a sick horse to a vet in Duffield for castration - but it was too weak to withstand a general anaesthetic, a court heard.

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He denied causing unnecessary suffering at Brookhill Farm on Brookhill Road, Pinxton, on February 28 last year.

The rottweiler - named Modlan - is now in the care of the RSPCA after being found suffering at Brookhill Farm in Pinxton.The rottweiler - named Modlan - is now in the care of the RSPCA after being found suffering at Brookhill Farm in Pinxton.
The rottweiler - named Modlan - is now in the care of the RSPCA after being found suffering at Brookhill Farm in Pinxton.

But he failed to turn up for his trial and was found guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.

Paul Wright, for the RSPCA, had outlined nearly four hours of evidence from officers and a vet.

When Davies, 58, took a horse to be castrated, its ribs and spine were easily seen, it was infected with lice and was not used to being handled.

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The RSPCA was called and discovered two ailing cows and a sick rottweiler dog.

The rottweiler - named Modlan - is now in the care of the RSPCA after being found suffering at Brookhill Farm in Pinxton.The rottweiler - named Modlan - is now in the care of the RSPCA after being found suffering at Brookhill Farm in Pinxton.
The rottweiler - named Modlan - is now in the care of the RSPCA after being found suffering at Brookhill Farm in Pinxton.

Mr Wright applied for Davies to be barred from owning or keeping any animals and this was granted for life.

He has six months to meet the order. The rottweiler named Modlan is in the care of the RSPCA and the court made it the new owner of the horse, called Tommy.

Both animals have made good recoveries but the two cows were shot at the farm.

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When the horse was brought to a vets’ practice for castration, nurse Jenna Griffiths said it looked “very frightened” and did not appear to be used to being handled by humans.

After it was unloaded from a trailer, she noticed it was very thin and infected with lice.

“You could see all the ribs and spine sticking out. It was very thin, had no muscle and you could see lice crawling all over him,” she said.

Because of its poor weight, there was “not a chance in a million years” of it being able to cope with a general anaesthetic needed for the operation, added Miss Griffiths.

The RSPCA was told and visited the farm.

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Inspector Teresa Potter said the rottweiler was tied to a gate and “hunched over a bucket. Its demeanour was very dull, you could see all his bones and he was scruffy,” she said.

She went into a barn with a vet where they found two cows lying amid straw. A Swiss red cow was under a rug and had “a horrendous wound to her hip.”

Insp Potter added: “There was a horrible smell as you lifted the rug. I would describe it as a rotting flesh sort of smell.”

Vet Christine Jamieson said the cow had ulcers the size of “dinner plates and right down to the bone.”

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She said: “I think it had been dragged over a concrete surface.”

They only found a sick Friesian cow because it was covered with builder’s bags which began to move.

She believed both had been unable to stand since December - causing internal damage.

“We went down to the house and he said ‘they’re alive’ and carried on and didn’t seem to understand it was inhumane to keep cows like that,” added Miss Jamieson.

Davies told the court that he had been caring for a sick relative.

He must pay a government surcharge of £115.

The case had been adjourned to ensure he attended court.

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