DIANNE COX FROM POOL-IN-WHARFEDALE CONVICTED OVER HORSE NEGLECT IN WEST YORKSHIRE

In a case that has drawn significant attention from animal welfare authorities, Dianne Cox, a resident of Churchill Flats in Pool-in-Wharfedale, was found guilty of neglecting three horses in her care. The horses, which included a chestnut thoroughbred gelding named Sam, a bay thoroughbred mare called Pepsi, and a piebald Shetland gelding named Tony, were discovered living in deplorable conditions in a field located off School Lane, Wike, in West Yorkshire, back in April 2020.

Sam, estimated to be between 19 and 21 years old, was found in a state of severe malnutrition, with his ribs, hips, and pelvis clearly visible through his thin coat. His hooves were severely overgrown, splayed, and cracked, which caused him to trip on both front feet when walking. The horse was also suffering from laminitis, an extremely painful inflammatory condition affecting the feet, which required urgent veterinary attention. Pepsi, a mare believed to be between 17 and 23 years old, was similarly malnourished, showing signs of neglect. Tony, the Shetland gelding around 17 years of age, had suffered patchy hair loss due to an untreated lice infestation, a condition that was present in all three animals.

Despite these clear signs of neglect, Dianne Cox denied any wrongdoing, claiming she had not neglected her horses. However, following a trial held on January 14, 2022, she was convicted of two animal welfare offences. The case was brought to light after RSPCA inspector Kris Walker visited the field on April 12, 2022, prompted by concerns over the horses’ welfare. During the inspection, it was noted that grazing was extremely sparse, the fencing was in poor condition, and there were dangerous loops of sheep netting and loose barbed wire that could potentially cause injury to the animals.

On the advice of a veterinarian who attended the scene, the police seized the horses. The court heard that Cox had previously been warned by RSPCA officers in 2018 and 2019 about the poor condition of her horses and had been issued notices to improve their welfare, but she failed to act on this advice. A veterinary expert testified that the horses had suffered due to Cox’s neglect in failing to implement preventative health care measures, which could have protected them from pain, injury, suffering, and disease.

In her defense, Cox’s legal representatives argued that her neglect was partly due to her difficulty in securing a farrier, claiming she had a farrier booked for April 20, 2022—eight days after the horses were removed. They also stated that she was purchasing regular feed from an agricultural supplier. Despite her 30 years of experience in horse breeding and her relevant qualifications, the court imposed a ban on her keeping equines for 24 months, which will expire in February 2025, and a deprivation order was made for the horses.

Following her conviction, Cox appealed her sentence and conviction at Leeds Crown Court but subsequently abandoned her appeal on January 26, 2023. Since then, the RSPCA, which has been covering the costs of caring for the horses at a private equine facility, has begun the process of rehoming them. The horses have shown remarkable improvement since receiving proper nutrition, parasite treatment, and dental care. Inspector Kris Walker expressed satisfaction that the case had finally concluded, stating, “After nearly three years, we’re pleased that this long-running case has finally concluded and we can, at last, start to find permanent new homes for Sam, Pepsi, and Tony. The contrasting pictures of the horses now and then speak for themselves, and we’d like to say a huge thanks to the staff at the equine yard who have supported them on what has been a very long journey. It’s clear that once they started to receive appropriate nutrition, endoparasite care, and dental treatment, they started to go from strength to strength, although Sam is likely to be permanently lame to some degree and will need closely monitoring for the rest of his life due to the chronic neglect of his hooves.”