Nick’s Petfood Ltd director, Nicholas Pacey, told an SPCA inspector that horses were “mongrels” and people only dropped them at his property to “treat” him.
He appeared in a Christchurch court on Thursday charged with three counts of failing to meet their physical, health and behavioral needs.
He was sentenced to two months in community detention, a $527.90 reparation and $500 legal costs. He was also disqualified from owning horses for four years.
Pacey, who ran his business from his South Island property, left three horses in states of exhaustion, weakness, weakness, hunger, thirst, pain and physical discomfort due to absent veterinary care and lack of food.
In November 2020, a brown thoroughbred mare was delivered in good health to the suspect’s property to be euthanized and processed for pet food.
Four months later, in March 2021, it was reported to SPCA that this horse was in serious distress by a member of the public, who lay down and “swung around”.
An SPCA inspector arrived at the property to find that this horse was emaciated, unable to stand and part of her body was dry and hairless from rubbing the ground.
They also discovered three other horses, one of which appeared healthy and two described as “thin” and “starved” in areas where the grass was chewed to dirt and no sign of supplemental feed.
A vet was called to inspect the horses, but pending their arrival, the defendant returned to the property and shot the two emaciated horses on the spot, despite the SPCA inspector’s request not to do so.
The vet examination found that both horses had been “reduced to skeletons” and that they were out of veterinary care and that euthanasia should have taken place days, if not weeks, earlier.
Three months later, in July 2021, while already conducting an initial investigation, the SPCA was called to the property again by a pubic member who saw a horse lying on the ground.
SPCA, police and a vet arrived that evening after further information that it appeared the horse’s throat had been slit.
Pacey became angry upon their arrival and insisted that the horse was no longer on the property. But when the inspectors left, they discovered the emaciated horse lying by a large deep pit with its throat slit.
When examining where the horse had lain before being moved, there was blood on the ground and a rut about 6 inches (15 cm) deep, indicating that the horse had lain for several hours and dug it with its feet.
SPCA CEO Andrea Midgen said: “The treatment of these horses was despicable and no animal should starve and suffer in this way.
“I saw pictures of these poor horses and they are sick,” said Midgen.
“It never ceases to amaze me how some people don’t seem to understand that animals feel pain just like us – these horses would have been scared, starving, in pain and grief.
“People have a responsibility when it comes to treating animals and ensuring their well-being before they are humanely euthanized. Allowing them to suffer and starve like this is beyond disgusting.”
The defendant was sentenced to two months in community detention, ordered to pay reparations of $527.90 and legal costs of $500. He was also disqualified from owning horses for four years.