Killing with kindness?

Over the years many moorland ponies have lost their lives due to toxic garden waste being dumped on the moorland, many kind-hearted members of the public think they are giving the ponies a treat but sadly it's far from that, it can have fatal consequences.

Becky Treeby said: “If you imagine a pony’s gut like a bin bag - when the grass waste goes in and you seal the bag, the grass ferments and gives off gasses, this is the same process within the equine gut, the lethal gasses build up causing severe pain which can rupture the gut leading to an irreparable damage and a very unpleasant painful death.”

South West Equine Protection is asking members of the public to please dispose of garden waste appropriately and not dump any waste at all on the moorland. As garden waste is now a chargeable collection, the organisation is concerned that this may lead to an increase of fly-tipped garden waste.

A spokesman from SWEP said: “We are hoping that raising awareness will encourage people to dispose of garden waste in the correct manner and that they’ll consider the consequences of their actions. It's heart-breaking to attend a pony death especially when it is due to completely avoidable circumstances.

“Please do remember the moorland is the home of the animals and it's our duty to keep it safe for them, so we can continue to enjoy the beautiful flora and fauna that make it such a wonderful place.”

To see more about our work and how you can help moorland ponies, please visit www.swep.org.uk or contact us on 01822 854823.