CONVICTED (2021) | Nichole Louise Hall, born 10 July 1991, of the Caravan Park, Baltic Road, Gateshead NE10 0SB – neglected four horses and two dogs.

Hall was taken to court after four horses and two dogs were found in a neglected state in a compound in Gateshead.

Three of the horses were in a poor condition and were found in stables full of droppings, without access to water.

In addition, two dogs were discovered in a small metal pen full of faeces.

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

RSPCA inspector Heidi Cleaver went to 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 vets and a police officer and they found three of four horses belonging to Hall to be in poor bodily condition.

In her statement Insp Cleaver 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.”

They also came across two dogs belonging to Hall at the site – 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 were found to have bedding but this was damp.

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.

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, who was visibly underweight with long hooves and was given a body score of two out of five.

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

Finally Dusty, a cob filly, was found to be in reasonable body condition and was given a 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 she collapsed as she was led away, the court heard.

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

Hall pleaded guilty to four animal welfare offences when she appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

She admitted causing unnecessary suffering to two horses by failing to investigate and address their poor condition, and not taking steps to ensure the needs of all four horses and two dogs were met.

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

Sentencing: 12-month community order with a requirement to carry out 15 days of rehabilitation activities and 180 hours of unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay £500 costs. Five-year ban on keeping horses (expires July 2026).

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Northern Echo