Rescue stories
New life for Annie in England
Three ponies and a foal originally rescued by Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary in Northern Ireland are now beginning a new life in England at Redwings Horse Sanctuary.
Annie, and her two companions Archie and Amy, had originally been running loose for three days on the roads in County Antrim. All three ponies were finally caught by staff from the Crosskennan charity as they were galloping down a slip road onto the motorway, headlong into oncoming traffic.
Annie on arrival at Crosskennan
When they arrived at the Sanctuary Annie in particular was in a very poor way. She was suffering from concussive laminitis brought on by the hard road surfaces, and her feet were terribly overgrown and split. She was also very thin and the examining vet found she had underlying neurological problems too. She was given corrective surgery on her feet and specialist plastic shoes but sadly her gait had been permanently affected by the state of her feet so it became clear they had been like that for some considerable time.
Annie's feet were in a terrible state
Annie’s owner Bridget Doherty was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering, banned from keeping animals for ten years and fined £650 plus court costs of £4000. All three ponies were signed over into the care of Crosskennan and around the same time, Annie’s companion Amy gave birth to a healthy foal called Merlin.
Crosskennan were struggling to cope with the amount of welfare cases coming in and contacted Redwings to ask if we would be able to take this delightful foursome. Despite also being very full, we were keen to help and more than happy to offer them a permanent home at one of our sites in Norfolk.
Annie and her friend Amy looking much better!
Rachel Angell, Senior Welfare Officer for Redwings, said: “The welfare situation in Ireland is pretty dire at the moment and Crosskennan are being completely inundated with rescue cases. It was clear that Annie will always need specialist veterinary care which is something we can offer here at Redwings, with the bonus being that Crosskennan will now be able to offer homes to four more horses in desperate need of help.”
Janice Watt from Crosskennan Lane said: “Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary are so grateful to Redwings for offering Annie, Archie, Amy and her little foal Merlin, the secure future they deserve. This was a landmark case for equine welfare in the province and has served as a warning to those who fail to provide adequate care for their horses. We felt Annie and her friends would never have a secure future whilst still on Irish soil and are therefore delighted that Redwings have provided them with a safe haven to ensure they will never return to the horrendous life they once endured.”
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