Horses, cats and dogs kept in ’18th century conditions’ by mother and daughter

A mum and daughter have been banned from keeping animals after horses, cats and dogs were found living in ‘18th century conditions’.

The RSPCA were called to Cherrywood farm in Gwespyr, Wales, following concern about the condition of several animals.

They found a horse and a dog neglected so badly they were immediately put down.

Shocking pictures taken by animal welfare officers show their emaciated bodies at the rat-infested small-holding, run by Joy Veronica Edwards, 61, and her daughter Phillipa Edwards, 36.

In total, nine horses, two dogs and 15 cats were seized by the RSPCA.

Two of the cats were later put down.

A paddock for horses was more like a pond, and the outbuildings had clearly not been cleaned for some time, a court heard.

The judge said society demanded that people who had animals looked after them properly.

The animals had been kept in conditions more akin to the 18th or 19th century, he said.

Prosecuting solicitor Glen Murphy said a rat infestation had broken out at the premises and the council pest control officer had been called out.

He said the environment the animals were kept in was not suitable and there was concern the defendants did not have the financial means or the physical ability to care for them.

Joy Edwards, who is said to have bred and shown horses at local and county level for many years, was banned from owning horses, dogs and cats for eight years.

She received a 12 week prison sentence suspended for a year with rehabilitation and 120 hours unpaid work after she admitted five charges brought by the RSPCA.

Mrs Edwards must pay £150 costs and a £115 surcharge.

Phillipa Edwards was banned from keeping animals for three years and was fined £300 with £150 costs and a £30 surcharge.

She admitted two charges and had asked that a horse and a dog should be returned to her.

But the banning order means that all animals, including nine horses and three dogs still at the premises, will either have to be signed over to the RSPCA or put down.

Bob Vickery, defending, said Edwards was in a state of distress that one of her horses had been shot and the carcass left for her to dispose of.

That had caused a huge amount of hurt, he said. He said she accepted she should have had it put down earlier.

Mr Vickery said: ‘The animals are their life. They live in an isolated rural location.’

Their difficulties had been made worse by one of the worst winters on record and they were unable to move them to other sites because there were none available, he said.