Vet: 'Horses suffered unnecessarily'

Mr de Brauwere, was one of several vets to visit the property in January 2008 following police and RSPCA raids and gave oral certification to remove some of the equines.
Other horses he examined suffered from lice infestations, overgrown hooves and worms, he told judge Christopher Tyrer and magistrates an appeal hearing.
He spoke of his concern for a pregnant donkey, found at the farm. Mr de Brauwere said it was unclear when the donkey was due to give birth but the court heard it did so the following day. He said: "The main concern here was her body weight and she was in ill thrift. My concern was it should be under veterinary supervision."
When cross-examined on whether it was necessary to remove the donkeys by Michael Fullerton, who was defending James Gray, Mr de Brauwere said: "I didn't feel it was necessary to come up with a diagnosis to feel it was reasonable to remove them. To see what was wrong you would need to address each animal on an individual basis, rather than in a group."
Mr de Brauwere said he believed a horse had suffered muscle wastage. Responding to a suggestion from Mr Fullerton that the horse was young and 'still growing', Mr de Brauwere said: "This little fellow was almost as thin as I have ever seen - completely different from a new born foal."
He added: "I consider under feeding to be a disease - I consider it to have an impact on any animal."
He gave his evidence on Monday at Aylesbury Crown Court, which is sitting at Bicester Magistrates Court, Oxfordshire. James Gray, 46, his wife Julie, 42, and their daughters Cordelia, 21, of Spindles Farm, Chalk Lane, Hyde Heath, and Jodie, 27, of Park Road, Ashford, Middlesex, and a 16-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, were last year found guilty of failing to ensure protected animals' welfare needs were met under the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act.
Gray and the teenage defendant were also found guilty of nine counts of causing unnecessary suffering.
The case, which began last week, continues.