Woman kept horse in small back garden tethered to washing line pole with no hay, grass or shelter
A woman was banned from keeping all animals after her horse was kept in a distressed state in the rear garden of her semi-detached home, tethered to a washing line pole.
The horse, Little Man, suffered from bad teeth, scabs on its nose and genitals and lice. It had no grass or shelter at the property on Ville Road, Scunthorpe, a court heard. Elisa Bates, 36, admitted an offence of causing unnecessary suffering to a horse
When she received the ban, Bates wept in the dock and complained: "I won't even be able to look after pigeons.". At Grimsby Crown Court, prosecutor Malk Thomas said Bates had previously been disqualified from keeping animals for similar offences of causing unnecessary suffering to dogs.
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Despite the previous five year ban she committed breaches in 2016 and 2019. Mr Thomas told how the RSPCA were alerted by a neighbour on April 19, 2022 when the horse was becoming tangled in its tether in the small garden. Officers were told the horse was sometimes tethered to a caravan in the front garden of the semi-detached home.
But there was no hay, no grass and no shelter, said Mr Thomas. An officer advised Bates to get the help of a vet. But when he returned 10 days later she had not done so.
Little Man was taken to Lincolnshire home for horses at Bransby, where it has since recovered its health. The cost of caring for the horse was estimated to be around £10,000.
For Bates, Jazmine Lee said her client describes herself as an animal-lover. "She is a well-meaning individual who has not had the equipment or resources to look after the horse," she said.
She said Bates was now homeless and lives a chaotic lifestyle. She receives £700 in benefits each month. "She accepts this is not the right behaviour and she apologises to the court," said Miss Lee.
Judge Paul Watson KC said: "You did not set out to harm this horse but the conditions in which it was kept were appalling." He said the offence caused distress to the animal and it was aggravated by her previous convictions for cruelty to animals. "It may be you are an animal lover, but you were incompetent in being able to look after an animal like this," said the judge.
He banned Bates from keeping animals generally for three years. He deprived her of ownership of Little Man which means it can be rehomed by Bransby Home for Horses. Bates was ordered to comply with a 12-month community order and attend 20 rehabilitation activity days. She was also fined £150.