By DAVID DERBYSHIRE

Bad way: In the last few weeks, the rugged Cornish landscape has been littered with the grisly bodies of decomposed animals and pitiful ponies so badly emaciated they have no hope of surviving


Many surviving ponies so badly emaciated they have 'no hope of surviving'

Government says identifying 'irresponsible owners' is impossible


They have roamed the moor of the West Country for thousands of years - loved by locals and visitors alike.

But as these shocking pictures reveal, the ponies of Bodmin are today suffering appalling neglect.

In the past few weeks, the rugged Cornish landscape has been littered with the grisly bodies of decomposed animals and pitiful ponies so badly emaciated they have no hope of surviving.

Stunned animal welfare charities are so concerned they have taken to patrolling the vast expanse to keep track of the ponies.

The South West Equine Protection (SWEP) group was called in to investigate after receiving a tip-off that the animals - which are classed as 'semi-feral' - were being neglected by their owners.

The Government says it is aware of the problem, but admits that identifying the 'irresponsible owners' is virtually impossible.


Bodies: In the last three weeks, five carcasses have been found on the moor. Welfare officers reported one gravely ill pony to its owner, only to find its body dumped on a public footpath and left to rot days later


The charity's pony welfare officer, Faye Stacey, said: 'I'm watching ponies starve to death and I am frustrated because all I can do is record it.

'The situation on this moor is totally unacceptable and it is unclear as to why the authorities are willing to turn a blind eye when there is so much suffering and neglect on show.

'If I had five dead horses and three emaciated ponies in my field at home, the authorities would be on the doorstep looking for prosecutions.
'Legally this case is no different.'


Hard time: The South West Equine Protection (SWEP) group was called to investigate after receiving a tip-off the animals - which are classed as 'semi-feral' - were being neglected by their owners


The scandal emerged last month after a concerned member of the public contacted the SWEP to complain that animals were suffering.

In the last three weeks, five carcasses have been found on the moor. Welfare officers reported one gravely ill pony to its owner, only to find its body dumped on a public footpath and left to rot days later.

Another walker sighted a foal on the moor in bad condition. But when SWEP tried to locate the young pony it could not be found.

The charity reported their findings to Trading Standards and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, but claim that little action was taken.

Bodmin ponies are owned by farmers who have grazing rights on the moors. By law they have to care for them - and feed them over the winter. However, tracking them down is difficult as many are not micro-chipped and few have identifiable features
Over the past five years the farmers have found it increasingly difficult to sell the foals at market and some owners have stopped feeding the animals over the winter.


Frustration: SWEP Pony Welfare Officer Faye Stacey says there's nothing she can do to help them


Miss Stacey added: 'I've seen one mare deteriorate so much in the last week that she is now having difficulty walking.

'We desperately want to bring this pony into our care to give her the medical help she needs.

'We've monitored her for a couple of weeks now, followed the correct procedure of reporting the breaches of the Animal Welfare Act and yet the authorities prevent us from ensuring this mare gets the care she needs.

'Presumably the authorities do not know who owns her otherwise some sort of action would have been taken.

'The danger is that this pony may now be destroyed, not to prevent her from suffering but to hide the evidence of a criminal act.'

A Defra spokesman said: 'It is absolutely untrue that we have not taken action on this complex issue, caused by irresponsible ownership.' He claimed that because the ponies are semi-feral and have no distinguishing marks it makes it difficult to identify the owners.

'We have been actively involved for some time and are working hard to resolve it,' he added.

'The problem lies in finding who the irresponsible owners are because these ponies are extremely difficult to identify.

'They have no marks distinguishable from a distance and, because they are semi-feral, it is almost impossible to get close enough to read a microchip. Legal action under animal welfare law is not possible without identification.'

The owners have been badly hit by the recession. In the past few years, some have been selling for £1 a head.

Ponies on Dartmoor, Devon, are also suffering. In the last few months more than 700 are thought to have been shot - with some ending up as tiger meat at Dartmoor Zoo.


source: dailymail