Three ailing Clydesdale horses are under veterinary care after they were seized from a property in British Columbia by SPCA cruelty officers.
One horse, a 14-year-old gelding, was infested with external parasites and suffering from an eye tumour and infection so severe that the surrounding tissue was inflamed and pus streamed down the horse's face.
A second gelding was also suffering from external parasites while the third horse, a 30-year-old mare, had parasites and open, infected sores on her legs.
Her hind foot, which would not bear weight, was wrapped in electrical tape.
"Clydesdales are magnificent, graceful animals and to see them in such a state of decline is heartbreaking," says SPCA special provincial constable Tina Heary, who led the investigation at the Powell River property.
One Muscovy duck, four ducklings and four hens were also seized. Two of the hens, who were thin and unsteady on their feet, died within 24 hours of being taken into custody. Necropsies will be performed to determine how they died. Of the remaining hens, one was lame and the other had trauma to one eye. The Muscovy duck was also limping. All the surviving birds are under veterinary care.
"It's beyond me how anyone can allow their animals to get to this point," said Heary. "These maladies didn't happen overnight - the animals suffered over a long period of time and to me, that's unacceptable."
Heary previously issued written orders to the owners to provide proper care for their animals, and a veterinarian who attended the property in May also made recommendations. When the owners denied Heary access to the property for a follow-up inspection, a search warrant was obtained to check on the animals and it was determined that the owners had failed to comply with the detailed care instructions ordered for the animals.
In addition to the poor condition of the animals, Heary found their shelter lacking.
The horse stalls were packed with uncollected manure, the chicken barn was littered with rotting vegetables, chicken excrement and chicken bones, and the various perches, ledges and nest boxes were coated with a thick layer of faeces.
All three horses will require extensive veterinary care.
The gelding with the eye tumour will be evaluated by an equine surgeon to determine whether the tumour can be successfully treated.
The SPCA said it was continuing to investigate and animal cruelty charges are pending.
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