Man banned from keeping animals after pony found with maggot-infested wounds

Following a RSPCA prosecution, a man from Doncaster has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years for causing unnecessary suffering to a Shetland pony in his care

On 16 May 2022 William Brazil pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a Shetland pony named Alfie and was handed a 10-year ban on keeping animals along with 135 hours of unpaid work and £595 in fines.

RSPCA Inspector Tamsin Drysdale visited the site to check on Alfie after South Yorkshire Police reported their concerns to the RSPCA about the pony in the spring of last year. Tamsin said: “When I approached Alfie, I noticed a strong, unpleasant smell coming from around his neck where the tether and head collar were. I moved his mane and immediately saw that the head collar and tether were embedded in Alfie’s skin quite deeply. I also saw maggots moving around in the wounds. The headcollar and tether were so embedded that I couldn’t remove them, and I knew he needed veterinary treatment urgently. Mr Brazil agreed to sign Alfie over to us, so I was able to arrange help for the suffering pony immediately.”

Within the hour, a local equine vet had arrived to examine Alfie. They found that a nylon rope tied round his neck had penetrated 5cm down into the skin, which had then grown around the rope. This had caused a wound with discharge and around his neck the vet found flies in all stages of development – from maggots – which feed on the skin of a host – through to adult insects. This indicated that the wound had been there, and left untreated, for at least two weeks. In addition, blood test results suggested chronic inflammation. The vets reported that the pony would require long term antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory treatment to assure his survival, otherwise the chronic and untreated infection could become life-threatening sepsis.

Speaking after Mr Brazil’s sentencing, Inspector Drysdale said: “This was a really upsetting case. For his neck to have got in such a terrible state, poor Alfie’s wound must have been ignored for some time and he’d have been in a lot of pain. If someone is struggling to look after an animal, we urge them to contact an expert organisation for help as soon as possible. As this case demonstrates, leaving the animal to suffer unnecessarily will not be tolerated.”

Thankfully, Alfie has made a full recovery from his injuries after receiving intensive treatment. He’s now living in his forever home after being adopted earlier this year.

To find out more about the RSPCA’s work or to donate to help equines like Alfie, head to rspca.org.uk