SPCA to provide care for army horses
2012-12-19 10:01
Pretoria - The SPCA has obtained a court order in the North
Gauteng High Court to allow it to investigate the wellbeing of horses owned by
12 SA Infantary Battalion in Potchefstroom and provide medical care, Beeld
reported on Wednesday.
This follows two previous unsuccessful attempts by the SPCA
to gain access to the army base.
SPCA spokesperson Andries Venter told the newspaper that he
and other inspectors were finally able to take a look at the horses last
Friday, and found many of them to be in a shocking state.
"One of the horses was lame, and another had swollen
protuberances on its face. Some of the mares, with foals, were in a very bad
condition."
Venter said the SPCA allowed a military vet, from the SA
Military Health Service's veterinary division, to treat the animals at the base.
"We have also arranged for the horses to be moved to
the military vets' division, where they were previously being kept."
The SPCA acted after an earlier Beeld report detailing
various abuses of the horses, including the fact that a mare had been kicked to
death while she was giving birth.
Venter said the biggest reason for the animals' neglect is
that the soldiers tasked with their care were not trained in animal husbandry.
- SAPA
