Rescue Me: New Study Finds Animals Do Recover from Neglect

Apr. 23, 2013 — Animal sanctuaries can play an important role in rehabilitating goats and other animals that have suffered from neglect, according to scientists at Queen Mary, University of London.

In this first scientific study of rescued animals, the researchers examined moods in 18 goats, nine of which had endured poor welfare, such as inappropriate diet, and lack of space or shelter before arriving at a sanctuary. They created a spatial awareness test, which involved giving the animals an opportunity to look for food, to understand the link between poor welfare and the goats' mental health, by comparing the behaviour of the mistreated goats with that of the goats that had been generally well treated. 

The scientists observed whether some goats were faster to explore specific areas that resulted in the reward of food and others that did not. They assessed how the goats judged previously unknown locations, described as ambiguous because they were situated between spaces known to contain food and areas without food. 

"Mood can have a huge influence on how the brain processes information. In humans, for example, it's well known that people in positive moods have an optimistic outlook on life, which means they are more resilient to stress. In the same way, measures of optimism and pessimism can provide indicators for an understanding of animal welfare," explains co-author Dr Elodie Briefer from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. 

It was thought that the goats from the poor welfare group would be more 'pessimistic' and slower than the well-treated goats to explore ambiguous locations for food, where the promise of reward was not guaranteed. However, a surprising result of the study was that female goats that had been mistreated in the past were more optimistic than the other well-treated female goats. 

Dr Briefer adds: "In this case, we found that female goats that had been previously neglected were the most optimistic of all the tested animals. They were more optimistic than well-treated females, but also the poorly treated males. This suggests that females may be better at recovering from neglect when released from stress, and might have implications for animal sanctuaries in how they tailor the care they provide for the different sexes." 

Dr Alan McElligott, also from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, said: "The study shows that animal rescue centres, such as Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats, where we collected our data, can provide a vital role in reversing long-term neglect once the animals receive excellent care." 

The study was published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science April 23, 2013. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130423091115.htm

Pets also need care in the cold

PET owners have been urged to ensure their animals have enough food and shelter to survive the freezing conditions. The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it has witnessed several cases of neglect and cruelty since the cold snap set in. ISPCA chairwoman Barbara bent said: 'We are calling on animal owners and members of the public to be vigilant during the the current cold spell and winter months o report any neglect or cruelty to animals to the ISPCA.' The charity also advises that dogs not be chained into a kennel, as this restricts the animal from being able to walk around to keep warm.

Metro Ireland, 11 January 2010, p5.

New attractions at zoo soon

Monday, 30 November 2009
Chamikara Weerasinghe

Arrangements have been made to bring 12 penguins from Japan and two pairs of lion cubs from China and Armenia to be exhibited at the National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala, Director Duminda Jayalath said.

Jayalath said negotiations are under way with the Zoological Gardens in Japan, China and Armenia.

Some animals would be sent to the new zoo being built at Pinnawala in an area of 53 acres, he said.

"Animals will not be purchased. They will be obtained by way of an animal exchange that takes place between the countries," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Zoological Gardens has come under fire by various groups and individuals for neglecting its duty to animals.

Two lions and meerkats have died at Dehiwala Zoological Gardens this year.

Admitting the incidents, Jayalath said several animals including two lions, two meerkats, one tapir, one baby pygmy hippo and a riverine hippo died at the Zoological Garden, Dehiwala due to old age and 'not' due to negligence.

Referring to the deaths of two lions at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens, he said these lions have lived at the zoo for 22 years. The average life span of a lion is between 15 to 22 years, he said.

He dismissed that the animals have died due to negligence of the authorities.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/30/news11.asp

Neglected pooch gets nine-pound haircut

Oct 15, 2009 at 10:56 AM PDT
By Associated Press, KBCI Staff

Photos by Deb Coleman

ST. ANTHONY, Idaho — Police are investigating a case of animal neglect after an 11-pound male dog was found covered in nine pounds of dirty and matted fur.

St. Anthony Police Chief James Smith says police found the dog in a backyard after a neighbor called to report an animal of unknown species in the area.

Smith says the owner of the animal has been identified, but charges are unlikely because the owner is disabled, the Rexburg Standard Journal reported Wednesday night.

Deb Coleman, president of the Humane Society for the Upper Valley, says the dog was taken to the Fremont Animal Clinic, where it had to be anesthetized to remove the matted hair. The pooch is expected to fully recover, and is now in the care of the Humane Society.

"When I visited him this morning he was happy and trying to learn to walk without all that weight," Coleman said.

Doctors spent three hours working on the pup, which has been nicknamed "Matt."

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/64387797.html

(Submitted by Sally Tully-Figueroa)

'Worst ever' animal neglect case

By Alison Harper
BBC News

Five members of the same family have been found guilty after scores of horses, ponies and donkeys at a Buckinghamshire farm suffered neglect.

The scene of unimaginable horror that faced RSPCA officers at Spindle Farm in Amersham can now be described.

More than 100 horses, emaciated, bones protruding, were dying where they stood from dehydration, starvation and infection.

Elsewhere on the farm, 32 carcasses were discovered decomposing into the wintry mud - the horses, ponies and donkeys still lying where they had collapsed.

The farm was owned by Jamie Gray - an equine trader with a history of animal neglect.

He had been fined £3,500 in 2006 for causing unnecessary suffering to equines - but was allowed to continue his trading business.

Rehabilitation

Less than two years later, the RSPCA officers who bought the original conviction were back, and the scene was more distressing than before.

"It was the worst case of neglect I have ever seen," said the chief inspector for the RSPCA in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, Rob Skinner, who has witnessed some horrific animal cruelty cases.

But the severity of this one shocked him and his fellow officers.

"We had to act fast. We had to sort out the worst - a pony collapsed by a trough. It was those real emergencies we had to sort out first," he said.

That was more than a year ago and, ever since, the rescued ponies have been at rehabilitation centres across the country.

They have needed specialist veterinary care.

Many were infested with worms, some had painful infections and all needed food, water and time to recover.

On the outside the rescued animals all look as if they have made good recoveries.

Skin and bones are covered with layers of fat and well conditioned coats but the damage from Spindle Farm is never far away.

Funding crisis

Even now some of the horses are at risk from underlying conditions which they contracted in the care of Jamie Gray.

Their progress has been monitored closely by the RSPCA - and Kirsty Hampton, one of the investigating officers, has kept in contact with the rehabilitation centres.

"Some of the horses needed simple feeding, others veterinary care. For two weeks one of the donkeys had to be picked up every morning till it could stand on its own," she said.

This type of dedication has led to vast improvements in the health of the ponies, donkeys and horses but it has come at a cost.

The RSPCA has spent £850,000 pounds caring for all of them at a time when the recession is hitting the charity hard.

It says it needs public donations now more than ever and has launched a huge nationwide emergency appeal for funds.

Ms Hampton illustrates the huge financial strain of this single case: "As the care goes on, it costs a thousand pounds a day. It's worth it. If we hadn't taken the horses, we'd have been watching others have a slow death".

As the costs mounted, the trial of Jamie Gray, his wife Julie, son James Junior and daughters Jodie and Cordelia got under way at Bicester Magistrates' Court.

The District Judge was read an inventory of each animal's injuries, collected by an independent vet, Ben Wakeling, during the rescue.

It included:

• Horse number 6: Grey miniature Shetland pony, lying in derelict shed. Had been dead some time. It had been allowed to suffer by not being given adequate husbandry.
  
  
• Horse number 10: Chestnut gelding. Had been dead for more than a few days. It had been allowed to die without any intervention.
  
  
• Horse Number 18. Shetland pony found with a blanket over it. No food or water close by. Had been dead for more than a couple of days.
  
  
• Horse number 21: Bay gelding collapsed against a water trough. Pony unable to lift head or move its position. Offered water and drank immediately.

All five defendants denied the charges against them.

Jamie Gray told the court that when he bought the horses he did not know many were infected with worms and it was the severity of that infestation which led to the sudden deaths.

He claimed some of the animals were like family pets and they were only found in overcrowded conditions as he had brought them in from the rain.

Verdicts

Jamie Gray's company, Gray's Horses Limited, traded thousands of equines each year and he told the court there would always be some deaths.

The District Judge in this case has had to consider whether animals such as these, destined for slaughter, should be protected under the same animal welfare act which domestic owners need to adhere to.

The guilty verdicts brought to an end Britain's longest running animal cruelty case, but the story of the horses rescued from Spindle Farm is far from over.

The RSPCA will have to wait for the sentencing of Jamie Gray and it is pressing for him to be given a lifetime ban from keeping horses.

Then there is the future of the scores of horses still under RSPCA care. They will need to be re-homed now that they have a second chance of life.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8038249.stm