David Slater banned from keeping animals for life

The neglected pony was up to his fetlocks in mud on an allotment swimming with mud and faeces

David Slater (27/01/1966), 49, of Wycherley Road, Rochdale, has been banned from keeping animals for life, after pleading guilty to five counts under the Animal Welfare Act at a previous hearing.

Slater was also sentenced to a 12 month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work to be undertaken at an animal charity shop. He was also ordered to pay £560 in costs.

Slater appeared at Bury and Rochdale Magistrates Court on Wednesday 3 June after the RSPCA launched an investigation against him in September 2014.

They had been contacted by animal welfare charity, Horses and Ponies Protection Association (HAPPA), who had become concerned about a grey Welsh section A pony and a number of poultry on an allotment off of Bridgefold Road, Rochdale.

RSPCA Inspector Catherine Byrnes said: “The pony was very thin but the poultry were even worse. The vet said that if they’d been there another five days they’d have died. When you felt them they were literally skeletons with feathers. They had severe lice infestations and scaly legs.

“The pony was up to his fetlocks in mud, in fact the whole allotment was swimming in a horrible mixture of mud and faeces.

“All of the animals had shelters but they were woefully inadequate - filthy, dark and dingy with no dry resting areas. Four cockerels were in what can only be described as a cupboard inside a shed. I couldn’t believe it when I found them living inside. It was pitch black and there were no roosting or nesting areas.
“All of the animals had access to water but it was either stale or absolutely filthy or rain water.”

“Though we brought the prosecution, it would never have happened without HAPPA. We are really grateful to them.”

Following the investigation, the poultry were signed over to the RSPCA for re-homing and the pony currently remains in the care of HAPPA, who have been looking after him since he was rescued.