A Carrigdhoun reader has contacted us regarding a dreadful case of extreme animal cruelty which was discovered in the Nohoval area in February of last year. The story last week made national headlines when it emerged that one of the rescued animals, a thoroughbred mare, War Celeste, had sold in 2013 for almost a quarter of a million pounds sterling and had previous links with Andrew Lloyd Webber, was among the animals.
Concerned locals contacted the Department of Agriculture in early 2018 when it became clear that a number of animals being kept on a holding in the area were being neglected. The Department then contacted the Cork branch of the My Lovely Horse charity and the decision was made to enter the property to investigate the matter In February.
It was discovered that the owner was not at the property and all of the animals were suffering from neglect and starvation. Our reader was one of the people who first entered the property and she says that the suffering of the animals on site will remain with her for the rest of the life.
War Celeste in February 2018
Speaking to The Carrigdhoun, Kelly Mellerick from the My Lovely Horse charity’s Cork branch said that the animals, 11 horses, 1 donkey, 2 large dogs and 4 cats, were all in an extreme state of neglect and starvation, despite the fact that round bales of hay were within sight of the stables. In her estimation the neglect had been ongoing for up to a year and it was decided to spend two days just feeding the animals and building up their strength.
Our reader reported: “there was an eerie silence – even the dogs didn’t bark. You would expect to see a horse’s head over the top of the door but you could only see their legs because of the amount of manure in there, it had raised the floor a few feet. The horses had to be dug out.”
The My Lovely Horse charity took five of the horses, including War Celeste, to its centre in Cobh but unfortunately 2 of them had to be euthanised. As well as War Celeste the charity took care of a 19-year-old, who has been renamed Grampa John, and a pony, who has since been rehomed.
The prognosis was not good for War Celeste, but perseverance and care has led to a remarkable recovery. Our reader found homes for the cats and Cork Dog Action Welfare Group, (DAWG) looked after the dogs.Gardai in Cork are investigating the abandonment and are pursuing “a definite line of inquiry.
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A much healthier War Celeste pictured recently
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