Horse rescuer Wendy Fowler is today celebrating after the former owner of her beloved pet was found guilty of animal cruelty.
Wendy, and her equine vet daughter Vikki saved Hope the shire foal from the brink of death last November.
The two-year-old chestnut mare was found lying in a ditch, drowning in mud.
She was entangled in barbed wire and the pair said they were appalled when the RSPCA refused to prosecute the owner they paid £1,5000 to rescue it.
After being taken to stables in Leyland the duo nursed her round the clock.
Hope was so weak she was unable to get up if she lay down, which could led to death in horses. Wendy spent many nights watching over the horse in case she got into difficulties.
The horse got her own Facebook page and the campaign to “shame” the charity into action attracted world wide support. Less than a month later the charity took action and horse breeder Philip Davies appeared before magistrates in Hyndburn on Thursday when he was fined a total of £86,000 and banned from keeping horses for life.
Davies was found guilty of 52 counts of animal cruelty and had already admitted two counts of failing to protect the animals from pain, injury and suffering and two counts of failing to provide a suitable environment.
Wendy said: “It is an absolute relief. The past year has been a horrendous ordeal. My daughter has gone through hell but Hope is just brilliant now.
”Hope has come on so well and is a real character. We also rescued another of the horses.”
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