Man guilty of neglecting two ponies

Published on 22/06/2012 02:13

A PENSIONER who allowed his ponies’ hooves to become so overgrown they struggled to walk has been banned from owning animals for life.

Keith Ritchie, 65, admitted failing to provide adequate veterinary treatment for Shetland ponies Haggis and Neeps after a concerned member of the public raised the alarm in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard animal welfare officers swooped on the field in Blackdog after reports of the ponies being seen “limping”.

The Scottish SPCA said the animals were found with severely overgrown and painful hooves which may not have been clipped by a farrier in years. Ritchie was fined £750 for the offence, which he committed between August 2009 and August 2010.

Scottish SPCA inspector John Carle said he was happy that Ritchie will never be allowed to own animals again.

He said: “We are pleased Ritchie has been banned from keeping animals for life as he has demonstrated that he is unfit to provide an animal with the most basic care and attention it needs.”