A Shetland pony has suffered serious injuries after a dog attack in Pencoed.
RSPCA inspectors were called to Ystrad Waun Common in the town on Sunday, March 13, and found a Shetland mare with serious injuries to both her hind legs and her stomach, and needing urgent veterinary care. The society believes the injuries were inflicted by a dog.
As well as the Shetland mare, there was also a foal at the scene, inspectors said, but the foal did not appear to have been injured in the dog attack.
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RSPCA Cymru said it was unsure who the pony belonged to so it was appealing for its owner - and anyone with information about the attack on the pony - to get in touch. For more stories about the work the RSPCA does, go here. Dog-owners are also reminded to keep their pets under control and on a lead whenever they're near horses or livestock. You can get Swansea stories straight to your inbox with our newsletter.
After attending to the injured mare, RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil said: "The little skewbald shetland mare had very serious injuries to both her hind legs and her stomach area from a suspected dog attack. She also had a foal with her who appeared not to have been harmed in the attack. A vet was called and gave her emergency treatment and I removed her and the foal to a safe location where she is undergoing further vet treatment.
"Her wounds were reasonably fresh, so the attack would have occurred recently. It must have been such a distressing incident for her and her foal. If you can help us with our enquiries please can you call our inspector appeal line on 0300 123 80 18 . We’d also like to find out who she belongs to. She had been microchipped but unfortunately it hadn’t been registered so there weren't any details for us to contact."
Are you appalled by this incident? What do you think should be done to stop pets attacking livestock? Share your ideas in the comments below this article.
An additional comment from RSPCA Cymru added: "The RSPCA urges dog owners to keep their pet under control and on a lead when near horses and livestock. Whilst the vast majority of people take care as a matter of course, sadly accidents can happen and even the most docile and obedient dogs can get distracted and excited by grazing animals."
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