Shocking pictures shows horse with hooves so overgrown it cannot walk found by rescuers in France

Shocking pictures shows horse with hooves so overgrown it cannot walk that was found by animal rescuers in French house of horrors where dogs and cats were also left to starve and die

  • WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
  • Decomposing horse tangled in an electric fence and emaciated cows found
  • Animals had been left at farm in Saint-Hernin, Brittany, north-west France
  • Mother who lived there had died and the daughter had been taken into hospital 

Shocking pictures have revealed a horse with hooves so over grown it can no longer stand and dozens of cats and dogs surrounded by their faeces and the unidentifiable rotting remains at a rundown French mansion.

A decomposing horse tangled in an electric fence and emaciated cows and pigs were also found at the property in Saint-Hernin, Brittany, north-west France, by rescuers who said it was ‘one of the worst situations we could ever have imagined’.

The property’s owner had recently died and her daughter, who is understood to suffer from mental health issues, was taken to hospital within the last few weeks.

All the animals are pure breeds and the owners are thought to have been collectors. They recently spent €1,200 (£1,032) buying a pedigree puppy.

Horrifying images show the dilapidated house littered with rubbish, rotting remains and dirt. In most rooms the rubbish had piled up so high that the floor was no longer visible.

Footage of them investigating the house shows piles of what appear to be bones surrounded by matted hair in the corner of rooms. Rescuers found ten sad-looking dogs and four cats in among the rubbish.

They also discovered emaciated animals in the faeces-ridden barn and horses, donkeys and six Shetland ponies, with overgrown hooves in a field.

The Green Valley Brittany rescue group entered the farm last week after it obtained authorisation to intervene order from authorities and evacuate the animals following a tip-off from the town’s mayor. 

‘One horse had hooves so overgrown that if we hadn’t come that day, we have no doubt that he would have been dead by the morning,’ they said.

‘We have never seen a horse with such overgrown hooves before and he’d endured so much suffering and probably been down on the ground in horrendous stormy weather for some time.

‘The horror continued inside where we found ten dogs and four cats living in a house with stuff lying around everywhere covered in vomit, faces and dead unidentifiable animals.

‘Unbelievable that only one week before two people had also been living in this place.

‘The animals in the house were visibly traumatised and really fearful. Incredibly, after a little while, they all came for cuddles and a moment of comforting.’

President of the rescue group, Laura Kling, said that she was told by neighbours that several people had been aware of the farms condition but no one had taken any action. 

The horses had their hooves trimmed at the farm before being moved, and medical treatment was given to all animals in urgent need before they were taken to new homes.

‘All animals have arrived safely at their foster families where they will receive further treatments until they will be able to be re-homed,’ she said.

‘The women were fairly wealthy and had spent thousands on buying the animals over the years. Some of the cats and dogs are even recognised by the breeding society.’

Ms Kling wrote that although they had managed to rescue so many animals she felt as ‘if we have failed (the dead horse) but our hands were tied and we did all we could’.

‘We arrived just a few hours too late for one of the horses. He got himself tangled in an electric fence and was unable to free himself due to him being unstable on his feet. The lack of care over the last few years had caused his condition to go down and he urgently needed further treatments.

‘It makes me so angry that authorities saw him only two months ago and did nothing! Let alone the other people who saw him over the last years. Why did nobody step in?’

Animals rescued from the farm included ten dogs, four cats, two donkeys, six Shetland ponies, one Welsh pony, three horses, two geese, 18 chickens, eight pigeons, six sheep and three Anglo-Nubian goats.

French Association Stephane Lamart helped with the evacuation.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk