Usk Horse Fairs

[EMILY]

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Have just come across a website regarding the horse sales at Usk nr Chepstow in Wales. I have often seen these advertised in the local newspaper and despite being a horse owner have never been, although I have intended to go on a couple of occassions but something else has come up to stop me..... however, I have just read some horrific accounts of the sales on a website from someone who obviously regularly attends and acts as a sort of animal welfare person. She states that she has seen countless young puppies - over 40 at one count and mainly of lurcher/whippet origin (although several other breeds thrown in) that are way below the age to leave the dam and that have been flea and worm infested and kept without foodd/water all day long. Apparently on one occassion she witnessed a couple of children aged about 11 yrs selling a small brindle lurcher pup of approx 5 wks which was clearly unwell - pathetically thin, worm infested and with runny eyes etc. She felt so sorry for the pup with the state it was in that she bought it and was promtly told by the children that the other litter mates (of which there had been 11) were killed by having their heads cut off. Also these kids were selling a crate fullof terrier x pups of about 5 wks and apparently the smell coming from these pups could be smelt some distance away. The person took her lurcher pup home and straight to the vet who treated it for worms, fleas etc and estimated it to be no more than 5wks old. The pup was running a high temperature and would not eat or drink - at one point it looked very much as if the pup was going to die. However, the pup did survive and there is a gorgeous photo of her on the link (will try to post this later).

Apparently a lot of the horses and ponies were not in a good state and one even looked like it had full blown strangles.

I have nothing against horse fairs if they are run to strict guidelines but surely this type of story above can not be allowed to happen? Apparently the relevant authorities and the local council are unable to do anything. I feel so sorry for these poor pups and know that I would come home with a car load if I ever came across anything so horrendous.

www.saddle-up.org.uk/forums/ lofiversion/index.php/t94174.html - 11k - 4 Oct 2005

www.ukcommunities.org.uk

 

[Loopy]

Oh help Emily that's apalling! Why can't the authorities do anything or do they just not want to get involved? I hope those horrible children were winding her up when they said the other pups had been decapitated. Now I want to leap in my car and go & rescue them (altho I really can't have/afford any more atm).

I wonder if we could get Bath & Bristol Dogs Homes involved somehow? Trouble is if you BUY the pups it will just encourage them to breed more & more.

Any ideas? If you have the link praps you could email it to the dogs homes and they might be able to do something to stop it. My outgoing email is a bit unreliable atm & keeps bouncing back.

 

[EMILY]

I have added the relevant links to the bottom of my previous mail - there should be a photo of the said pup on there - she is a real cutie! I think these Horse Fairs start again in April, but I will check the local paper each Saturday as the slaes are always advertised in there. I never for one moment thought that the sales would be like this and like you say by buying the animals you are just encouraging the breeding of more for subsequent sales - I also wonder how many of these pups are puppy farmed? Bristol Dogs Homes might be a good start of someone "in authority" to contact, but I just can't believe that other animal welfare people aren't on site at these events as I thought there now had to be someone at events such as these who oversees the animal welfare?

 

[Loopy]

If you could check out when the next one is on I will ring Bath Cats & Dogs cos

they are linked to the RSPCA so might be able to get an inspector down there.

If I ring the RSPCA I doubt they will DO anything but if the home calls them they

might. I'm sure there is supposed to be an inspector there but obviously not bothering much about puppies or puppy farms (lots in Wales). Think they mostly inspect cattle markets cos of the rules & regs from DEFRA.

I can't see the photo but will try cutting & pasting link into my browser so can access article.

PS Link won't work so need name of particular forum this is posted in on Saddle Up?

 

[peony]

Tales of atrocities at Fairs and Sales are rife, yet still sicken :x and infuriate me :rant: .

Stow Horse Fair is local to me and last year I went and thought I was doing the right thing, by buying a lurcher puppy, purely to save her from the awful lads who were wandering around with her stuck in their coat pocket.

I was told that the puppy was 8 weeks old and that she had been wormed and had her first vaccination, neither of which I believed, but imagine it was all part of the sales ploy.

I got 'Sage' home and quickly realised she had very little co-ordination and was incredibly weak. A trip to the vets followed and I was told that she was no more than 3 - 4 weeks old :rant: :rant: :rant: and Sage was given various injections. After managing to get her to take some fluids, I was pleased to see that she seemed to have some use of her bowels, until I saw that all she passed was worms :x :x :x .

At the time, I was so concerned about poor little Sage that I didnt feel the rage at her breeders.......................the whole thing was despicable, from conception through to selling her at such an early age, never mind the fact she had received absolutely no treatment deserved by ANY animal.

Poor Sage managed to hold on to her life for three days, through which she had countless fits and many many episodes of passing nothing but worms. She also, I hope , learnt that not all people are total bastards and that love and a decent life was possible.

We should ALL try and do something to save the fate of puppies, bred purely for financial gain .

Sage R.I.P.

 

[peony]

Forgot to say in the last post, that at Stow Fair, there were RSPCA officers, Police and local vets wandering around, yet still it seems little was done.

 

[rottie]

its made me cry reading that...

she was such a little sweety...

and she did hang in there for all she was worth but the fitting was just sooo bad...

 

[bappit]

Supply and demand - if the goods are not bought then they are no longer stocked, simple as that, I'm afraid .

Yes, I know how cold that sounds, I know how everyone says they would buy rather than leave the pup/s to their fate. But it really does just increase the cycle to do this, it can be broken - it used to be common place at most lurcher shows say 20 years ago for pups to be offered for sale (it must be said not all in bad condition at all, as the market forces were so that there was more money to be made from presenting a decent litter with dam present even better, and often there were just decent working lurcher folk with some pups for sale, amongst the folk you would'nt want to be approaching anyway ), however is is most peculiar now to come across any for sale at all, a lot of lurcher show organisers forbid the sale or even advertising of puppies at their events...so it can be done. :thumbsup:

By what I can gather, think the politicians need involved in this case...they got involved in the first place by backing financial incentives to folk to start up enerprises which included puppy farming, so as well as getting animal welfare organisations involved its wise to start harrassing the local elected councillor/s, who in fairness are usually quite attentive to anyone in the consituency having concerns, and can be highly effective in terms of changing situations (if prodded enough).

But we ourselves, also need to educate people above all else not to buy from these sources as it perpetuates the problem :rant: ...( that is the part of the problem on public display that is causing you concern in your initial post-can you bear to imagine what goes on outwith the public eye in the conditions these dogs are bred/kept?)

Peony, (know your heart was in the right place, this is not written with the intent to upset you)

 

[peony]

I know bappit xx and thanks. I knew at the time that it wasnt the best idea I had ever had, but i thought I may have been able to help that little scrap and I just keep the thought that she had 3 days of niceness. I am sure that the despicables who breed and sell these poor pups are on the look out for 'soft touches' like myself and know that people like me are only exacerbating a dire situation.

 

[bappit]

Little Sage got the best three days of her life of that I have no doubt :huggles:

Like i said your heart was in the right place Peony, which is as it should be, in dealing with these types its hard not to be manipulated in the situation I know - and like you say so do they! :rant:

However, really do have hope that we can improve things by taking action, however small, toward eradicating the market for these puppies, yourself, Loopy and EMILY as well as myself are deeply concerned about the situation so if one of us can come up with a course of action, albit just letter writing to local authorities (continually), involving local press...National? By being sensational if thats what it will take. Finding out what the show organisers regulations are on this issue (if there are no regulations are they prepared to make some?) - it takes a great deal of money, backing and goodwill to put on a show like that - they would not like negative publicity surely? Maybe just baby steps but they are in the right direction I do believe:thumbsup:

 

[Loopy]

Peony I would have done just the same if I'd been there in spite of knowing it just encourages the b@st**ds to breed more. Poor little Sage & such a beautiful little baby pup. At least she had 3 days of being loved & looked after which is 3 days more than she would have had otherwise.

Blasted politicians make such a fuss about hunting and don't do anything about this sort of blatant cruelty. What we need to find out are the dates & locations of these horse fairs so we can bombard newspapers & councils, police, RSPCA etc with pictures & stories (name & shame too) so the breeders have to be stopped or stop turning up cos they can't take the heat. If they can't sell them they won't breed them. I don't think they have any in Wiltshire but will ask horsy friends to keep an eye out jic and am happy to write articles & email (when it works) them to anyone who might (be forced to) listen & publicise situation.

I think a lot of the horse fairs are ad hoc type events so not so well regulated as horse shows & cattle markets but it's time something was done so count me in Bappit!

 

[nina]

Peony, just to let you know i would have done exactly the same as you in fact i would have probably bought them by the box load in the hope of being able to help them, get them the veterinary treatment they needed & then trying to find them safe loving homes when they were ready.

Its soo hard, cos i know what others are saying about perpetuating the problem & part of me does agree BUT i really think these people would carry on breeding regardless of whether they could sell the pups are not.

Lets face it these are hardly the sort of people that would have either the intelligence or the desire to have their bitches spayed or their dogs castrated so they would probably still continue to let their bitches produce endless litters each & every season but if they knew they would not be able to sell them then they would probably either just dump them somewhere leaving them to die or inflict an even worse fate on the poor little devils.

I just dont know know what the answer is BUT like you i know in my heart if i felt i could help even 1 of these poor little mites, sadly whether right or wrong i would have to do it.

Nina

 

[bappit]

Loopy :thumbsup:

 

[Juley]

Peony I can't see, I'm crying too much. I'm sure I'd have done the same thou I know it can make the cycle carry on. At least little Sage knew love, hopefully she is running happily over the Rainbow bridge.

 

[EMILY]

I have to say that I would probably also have brought such pups just to get them away from such horrid conditions. I have also been to Stow Fair and seen puppies sold in horrible conditions and yes there wer RSPCA in attendance - totally unbelievable that this happens and they do nothign about it. I would have to say that the majority of these typoe of events attract a lot of gypsies looking to buy and sell animals - particularly horses, but also pupppies etc. I do not see any way in which they could be persuaded to stop breeding them but maybe if a stricter policy was enforced by RSPCA officials at events - i.e. taking puppies and other animals straight away from sellers if it is deemed they are not in a fit state to be sold, are too young to be parted from dam etc, then this would surely make most think twice about selling their animals in the way they do now. I will attend the next Usk Horse fair to try to get some photographic proof of what is going on (will probably end up with several black eyes and a broken arm or two!) and will also try to ensure that a representative of Bristol Dogs home and also an RSPCA inspector is in attendance.

 

[nina]

I would have to say that the majority of these typoe of events attract a lot of gypsies looking to buy and sell animals - particularly horses, but also pupppies etc. I do not see any way in which they could be persuaded to stop breeding them but maybe if a stricter policy was enforced by RSPCA officials at events - i.e. taking puppies and other animals straight away from sellers if it is deemed they are not in a fit state to be sold, are too young to be parted from dam etc, then this would surely make most think twice about selling their animals in the way they do now.

Have to say i absoultely agree with you, if only the RSPCA officials did their jobs & immediately confiscated these pups then not only would they be helping these poor little mites but might make these degenerates think twice about taking pups in such poor condition if they knew they would be immediately taken off them.

 

I will attend the next Usk Horse fair to try to get some photographic proof of what is going on (will probably end up with several black eyes and a broken arm or two!) and will also try to ensure that a representative of Bristol Dogs home and also an RSPCA inspector is in attendance 

For goodness sake BE CAREFUL, but if you need any back up i would happily come with you rather than you go alone.

 

Nina

 

[Loopy]

That's what we need Emily - RSPCA/police/dog warden confiscating puppies so breeders don't benefit and their pics in paper so they are named & shamed (if capable of being shamed ? doubtful).

Let me know when you see horse fair advertised & we can all work together to try and make sure this cruel trade is stopped.

PS I might be able to come along too if can escape from work.

 

[bappit]

A little helpless to assist physically with this one due to the distance involved, sorry Happy to help in any other way, letter writing whatever - just let me know :thumbsup: Push really comes to shove I will make the trip if you need help.

Course if its photos your after best discreet way is to use a camera phone (pretend your looking for a signal when holding it up ), also can use a bit of charm/innocence of which i'm sure your quite capable of , if things get a little sticky, no need for confrontation, keep it sweet!!!...all a means to an end after all.

For the record I'm not 100% hard hearted BTW:lol: However, the next comment is not made to offend anyones sensibilities, just wanted to say please...think about this instant reaction factor of seeing pups in a poor condition, really, really think about it...yes the correct reaction is to want to take them home do your best for them, course it is...is the money better utilised given to the purveyor of the pups? Or a local rescue? PDSA? Spent on phone calls/letters/meetings with people who can effect change to prevent/limit this? I dont profess to have the answers, I do what I can when I can. Given that a healthy pup/puppies are very time consuming I am not in a position to take on the work involved in them let alone one/s needing considerable more attention and vet involvement in the process, that is my personal circumstances weighed with existing financial commitments. In the past I have had a few desperate adult hounds to care for I would not regret the time and emotional toll those took for one second (although I have regretted the heartache it has caused my children in the process...all learning curves sure, but steep ones at times) . So now where possible I try to look at the bigger picture. :thumbsup:

 

[nina]

Think you are very sensible in what you say without a doubt, & a VERY caring person too. We all have different circumstances & situations & i'm sure NO ONE thinks you are hard hearted just down to earth & thinks things through, which in the long run probably gets the best results.

Unfortunately me...................well you summed it up in one LOOPY. My heart i'm afraid rules my head & always has done. I know whats sensible & whats right BUT put me front of a pup in such poor condition being dragged around by a bunch of kids & my purse is open way before my mouth even.

Think people should listen to what you are saying & try to take action with the ideas you have put forward, sure they may help.

Me, if i'm needed for any support to anyone in anyway i'm happy to tag along & do what i can whether it be playing the dumb blonde "wow your pups is just so cute can i take photo for my kids to see"!!!!!!

We are all different i know but at the end of the day we all care about the same thing THE WELFARE OF THESE POOR LITTLE MITES.

Nina

 

[bappit]

I know nina, I know :cheers: ...come the long way round to this stance...and looks like we're all headed in the same direction one ways or another...we'll get there :thumbsup: