A man and woman from Southwaite have been banned from keeping equines for 10 years after they admitted neglecting donkeys and horses.
Ivan Ballantyne, 76, and Jeannie Winskill, 44, both of Beck Cottage, had seven donkeys and 17 horses seized from them by the RSPCA after they were found to have neglected the animals, causing some to go lame.
The pair had previously denied all offences and were set to stand trial this year but changed their pleas to guilty at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Ballantyne admitted causing unnecessary suffering to seven donkeys at Southwaite between 4th January and 4th February, 2020, by failing to address the animals overgrown feet, resulting in lameness.
He also admitted failing to provide adequate care for 17 equines between the same dates by failing to provide fresh, clean drinking water; dental care; hoof care; parasitic control; failure to address rain scald; and left the animals with only a “dirty small shelter” — as stated on court papers.
Winskill pleaded guilty to the same two charges along with a third, between the same dates, of causing unnecessary suffering to a Shetland pony by failing to provide hoof care, resulting in it going lame.
Magistrates sentenced both Ballantyne and Winskill to community orders in which they will be electronically tagged for 16 weeks on a curfew running from 8pm to 6am daily.
Winskill will also carry out 15 days of a rehabilitation activity.
They were each disqualified from keeping equines for 10 years and the animals seized and rehomed by the RSPCA.
Ballantyne and Winskill were ordered to pay £750 court costs and a £90 victim surcharge each.
