Investigations ongoing into heart-breaking horse death

The heart-breaking death of a long-suffering horse is subject to further investigation and legal action, the Animal Welfare Ministry has confirmed. 

The horse called Zodiaco died on 1 January in a severely emaciated state after his owner left him thirsty and hungry. 

A veterinary investigation revealed that the horse had resorted to consuming stones, glass, and pieces of wood to keep it from starving to death. It died in the hands of a horse rescuer despite the best efforts to save it. 

The ministry told MaltaToday that the Animal Welfare Directorate had received a report late on 30 December concerning the state of this horse. 

“The ensuing morning, an onsite inspection was entertained with the assistance of the police and competent staff from the Animal Health and Welfare Department in the presence of an official veterinarian,” a ministry spokesperson said. 

“The findings of the inspection led the Directorate to seize the horse and arrangements were made for fostering it. The case is subject to further investigations and legal action.” 

The horse was transferred to a horse rescue farm where it died the day after. 

Zodiaco was a racehorse that had been retired by its first owner. 

When asked about enforcement measures, the ministry spokesperson explained that inspections are conducted on a “risk-based approach according to urgency,” after a report of an ill-treated animal is received. 

“Additionally, the Directorate may trigger on its own initiative surprise inspections to verify compliance with the laws in force.” 

In 2023, the Animal Welfare Directorate carried out more than 1,143 inspections covering 853 reports on cases of animal neglect and abuse. 

“A total of 68 cases are subject to ongoing legal action, through either issuance of administrative fines or through issuance of criminal charges,” the spokesperson said. 

Meanwhile, Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina is drafting recommendations that would require horse owners to be responsible for their animals until their death. 

Bezzina told MaltaToday most horses brought to Malta are racehorses that are usually retired by their owners and sold locally at a relatively early age since they will no longer be fit to compete. 

She said some racehorse enthusiasts are blinded by competition and are often in a hurry to replace their older horse with a new one, completely disregarding the wellbeing of the steed. Another problem arises when the older horses are sold to horse carriage owners for a new tiring profession, she added. “This is not my idea of retiring a horse.” 

These grim circumstances for horses prompted Bezzina to start drafting recommendations to government, which would bind horse owners to take care of each horse they own until they die of old age. 

“I truly hope government will implement these recommendations after they are published,” Bezzina said.