A WOMAN has been banned from keeping horses for five years after four horses and two dogs were found in a neglected state in a compound in Gateshead.

Nichole Louise Hall , 29, of Baltic Road Caravan Park, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to four animal welfare offences when she appeared before magistrates at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on July 10.

An investigation was launched by the RSPCA after they received a video from a concerned member of the public which showed a black coloured cob in poor body condition with the hips, ribs and spine clearly visible on the footage.

 

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state in a compound in Gateshead

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state in a compound in Gateshead

 

The court heard how RSPCA inspector Heidi Cleaver attended a compound at Low Heworth Lane, in Gateshead, where she was told the horse was living on February 12, 2020.

She was accompanied by two independent equine vets and a police officer and they found three of four horses belonging to Hall to be in poor bodily condition.

 

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state in a compound in Gateshead

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state in a compound in Gateshead

 

In her statement Heidi said: “ All four of the horses were found without access to any water and were being kept in stables which were full of droppings. There was no clean, dry bedding for them to rest on.

“There was only a minimal amount of hay found in some of the stables and what hay they had was dirty and had been walked into the muck. The compound in general was untidy, with many hazards lying around.”

 

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state in a compound in Gateshead

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state in a compound in Gateshead

 

They also came across two dogs belonging to Hall at the location – a tri-coloured Jack Russell called Patsy and a pale and brindle whippet called Gracie.

Both dogs were being kept in a small, open-topped metal pen – which was full of faeces - with access to a plastic kennel.

On the day of the visit the weather was freezing and there were snow showers. The dogs had bedding but it was damp and there was no food and little water available for them.

The water appeared to be rainwater in dirty bowls.

The police seized the dogs under the Animal Welfare Act as their needs were not being met and handed them into RSPCA care.

 

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state in a compound in Gateshead

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state in a compound in Gateshead

 

All four of the horses were then individually examined by the vets.

Nancy, a black cob mare, was so thin her hip, ribs and spine were prominent and the vet said she was suffering unnecessarily.

Next was Django, a skewbald cob, he was visibly underweight with long hooves and was given a body score of 2 out of 5.

Another skewbald cob called Jake was found to be in poor bodily condition and was give a bodily condition score of 1.5 out of 5.

Finally Dusty, a cob filly, was found to be in reasonable body condition and was given a body condition score of 2.5 but the vet was of the opinion she was likely to suffer if her circumstances didn’t change and was found to have very overgrown hooves.

The horses were also seized and taken into the care of the RSPCA but Nancy was so weak the court heard how she collapsed as she was lead away.

 

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after her four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state

Nichole Louise Hall has been banned from keeping horses after her four horses and two dogs were found in a poor state

 

All four horses and the two dogs are now said to be thriving in RSPCA care and it is hoped they will be rehomed soon.

Hall was also given a 12 month community order in which she is required to carry out 15 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days and 180 hours of unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay £500 costs.

In mitigation the court was told that Hall said she was caring for a relative at the time and that she was “spinning too many plates”.

 

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