Anger after RSPCA shoots sick foal and leaves blood-covered body beside children's play area

• RSPCA shot sick foal and left its body in field for owner to recover
  
• Dumping ground was in sight of a children's play area, it is alleged

By MARTIN DELGADO FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

Published: 18:39 EST, 18 January 2014 | Updated: 10:01 EST, 19 January 2014

The RSPCA has been criticised for shooting dead a sick foal then leaving it in sight of a children’s play area for several days with a note demanding that the owner remove the body. 

A second foal was left alone with the body and was in a state of ‘distress’ until it was rescued.

After the foal was put down, the RSPCA inspectors left a letter headed ‘Removal of animals left unattended’ because they could not establish who the owner was.

The RSPCA allegedly shot a foal and left its bloodied body in sight of a children's play area. File image

The foals are thought to have been dumped on the rough grazing land at Severn Beach, near Bristol, in an example of ‘fly grazing’.

This entails abandoning unwanted animals on private land, thus making the landowner responsible for  their welfare.

Labour MP Jim Fitzpatrick, of the Associate Parliamentary Group for  Animal Welfare, last night questioned  how the charity could have thought it acceptable to abandon the dead foal and  its companion. 

‘It all sounds deeply unsettling,’  Mr Fitzpatrick said. ‘It certainly doesn’t sound like good practice.

Jim Fitzpatrick described the incident as 'deeply unsettling'

‘The RSPCA should have done more to trace the landowner and get an appropriate responsible person to take care of the removal of the body.’

The shooting of the bay gelding on January 8 dismayed residents, who complained to the RSPCA and the local council. 

Resident Becky Ashdown said: ‘It was so sad to see that dead foal in the field,  just lying out in the open with blood all around its head. 

‘The other one was left in the field with the carcass, and I think that  it was quite distressed.

‘The two horses were without water or food for weeks, and all they got was  from passers-by who felt sorry for them.’

Katie Merrett, of nearby Stroud, said:  ‘I have been in touch with the RSPCA and, as far as I can gather, they decided the foal had to be put down. They said it was the kindest thing to do.

‘It was very distressing for local children, leaving the body where they could see it from their play area.’

Last night the RSPCA defended its actions, saying the horse, which was unable to stand, had been put down on veterinary advice as a matter of animal welfare. 

A spokesman said that both it and the surviving foal had now been removed, and that the cost had been met by the owner, whom the charity had managed to trace.