This Tuesday, August 20, local police in Uccle inspected a meadow where a donkey, a horse and three ponies were being kept, following an alert from a vet called by the neighborhood. The owner had been on vacation since July and was not taking care of her animals.

Animals left without care and used for children’s pleasure

In exchange for financial compensation, of course, the premises welcomed children in the form of an educational farm. Under the guise of educational workshops, the owner ultimately failed to respect the basic needs of her ponies, horse and donkey.

An owner deaf to calls from volunteer neighbors who raised the alarm

From her vacation spot, the owner received numerous calls from neighbors concerning the state of health of the equines. All calls were ignored. Overwhelmed by the situation, the volunteers contacted a vet at their own expense to help the animals.

A thorough inspection

On site, the veterinarian found a number of shortcomings that seriously compromised the equines’ well-being. They had to make do with an unkempt stall with no bedding. In the middle of winter, the shelters are impassable due to a thick layer of mud and excrement that engulfs the animals.

The water basins had been buried over the months by dampness and soil, and the five equines had only a few liters of water to share at the time of seizure.A basin of water that had been filled by the neighbors…The feet are not trimmed, causing severe suffering to the ponies as they move with difficulty. The build of the ponies and horse seems to be on the verge of emaciation, while the donkey is obese, causing her a severe locomotion handicap.

At the time of the operation, the associations’ carers were struck by the catastrophic state of the donkey’s legs! Dripping with blood and pus, the animal’s legs appeared to be burnt. In fact, they are covered in scabs and worms, caused by untreated fly bites.

Animals seized for their own good, owner soon to face justice

After inspection, the authorities decided to seize the animals and asked Veeweyde Refuge du Marais to take them in, along with Animaux en Péril, Le Rêve d’Aby and Help Animals.The equines were quickly given a much-needed veterinary check-up.As for the final destination of the animals, the decision rests with the Mayor of Uccle, who has two months to confirm that the animals will be entrusted to the shelters that took them in.

The police have drawn up an official report for infringement of the Walloon Animal Welfare Code due to obvious acts of mistreatment. The owner may face criminal or administrative proceedings.If the Public Prosecutor’s Office decides to take the matter in hand, it may refer the owner to the criminal court.The owner could face 8 days to 3 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 1 million euros. If the Public Prosecutor’s Office does not pursue the matter, it will be up to the sanctioning official to impose a fine of up to 100,000 euros, as well as withdrawing the owner’s license to keep animals.

At Refuge du Marais, Aneth, the donkey, has undergone a veterinary examination, and we’ll be in touch with you shortly.

The Veeweyde team