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Mikey the pony My Lovely Horse Rescue

Pony suspected of being used as 'dog bait' fighting for life after rescue

A worker from My Lovely Horse Rescue said the pony was “starting to rot” when he was found.

A PONY WHICH is suspected as being used as “dog bait” is fighting for its life after being rescued by an animal charity.

Mikey, a miniature pony, was found tied to a gate close to a housing estate in the north inner city of Cork by a member of the public on Wednesday afternoon.

The concerned person contacted the My Lovely Horse Rescue charity, which has a centre in Cork.

It is one of the worst cases of sustained abuse that volunteers at the charity, have dealt with.

Gardaí in Cork have been notified along with the Department of Agriculture veterinary officials.

“The abuse of the little boy, whom we’ve named Mikey has been taking place over a long period of time,” Kelly Mellerick of My Lovely Horse Rescue said.

We believe that if he hadn’t have been found by the member of the public when he was he would be dead in a day or two. 
He was actually starting to rot and the smell from him was horrific.

Mellerick said that it is suspected he “might have been used as dog bait” because he had so many old and new bites, cuts and bruises. 

There are also numerous rope burns to his neck.

67780879_2478454008880674_549219716070113280_n An image of Mikey's injuries Sarah Slater Sarah Slater

“There is so much infection, and build up of puss around his neck that he’s struggling to breath,” Mellerick said. 

We just have to question how people can do such acts to a defenceless little animal like this.

“He’s doing his best to live and he has eaten a little but the next few days are critical,” she said.

Mellerick added that the pony’s mouth is in “a horrendous state” and as a result it is difficult to put an exact age on him. However, they believe he is, at most, five-years-old. 

“Even the vets which help us, such as Jim Hegarty and Dave Canty, are so appalled by the level of abuse. They have been and are doing wonderful work with him,” Mellerick said.

The pony had to be sedated and many of the healed puncture wounds re-opened in a bid to drain all the puss away.

Mellerick said that it is going to be a “costly process trying to save his life” and has called for “as many donations as we can possibly get”. 

“He’s a brave little boy, we promise to do everything in our power to give him a life worth living.”

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    Mute G.M Lockjoy
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    Aug 8th 2019, 2:49 PM

    I seriously hope someone is made accountable for this abuse of a defenseless pony. Everything crossed he will make it.

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    Mute Celia Murphy
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:56 PM

    @G.M Lockjoy: unfortunately nobody will..I imagine the savages who did this are well known ..and powers that be ate afraid to act

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    Mute MickN
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:12 PM

    @G.M Lockjoy: If they do get the culprit it will be a slap on the wrists and they will skip out of court….

    96
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    Mute Brian Stafford
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    Aug 8th 2019, 2:54 PM

    I couldn’t even imagine what goes on inside some people’s heads. Dark, evil places and the would would be far better off without them.

    540
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    Mute Brian Stafford
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:09 PM

    @Brian Stafford: world*

    56
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    Mute Leroy Brown
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    Aug 8th 2019, 2:49 PM

    Absolute disgrace… and it’s all over the country, what’s going on with people?

    365
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    Mute Tom
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:00 PM

    @Leroy Brown: Zero consequences

    264
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    Mute Coco86
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:09 PM

    @Tom: Let’s change that

    michael.creed@oir.ie

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    Mute saoirse janneau
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:38 PM

    @Coco86: I’d love to have your confidence in Creed. He has presided over puppy farm abuse, animal abuse and shipment of live cattle to the middle east where their end is unspeakable in terms of slaughtering and has implemented no changes law wise to alleviate and protect animals in the last 4 years. Dont hold your breath!

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    Mute Coco86
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:22 PM

    @saoirse janneau: Never said I had confidence in Creed but that’s no reason not to speak up

    28
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    Mute Cece
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    Aug 8th 2019, 8:45 PM

    @Coco86: Thank you. I’ve also written to him

    10
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    Mute Ann Morris Doolan
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    Aug 8th 2019, 9:26 PM

    @Leroy Brown: locked up for 10 years I say for this, disgraceful to the poor little horse….

    19
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    Mute Grumpyoldtroll
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    Aug 8th 2019, 2:53 PM

    Poor little animal. When are we going to get real in this country and start coming down hard on filth who do this kind of thing.

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    Mute Tracey Nally
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:00 PM

    @Grumpyoldtroll: penalties for animal cruelty need to be stiffer.

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    Mute Anne
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:37 PM

    @Tracey Nally: they pretty much dont exist

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    Mute Seamus Murphy
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    Aug 8th 2019, 2:55 PM

    Sickening. How could anyone stand to watch this going on? I hope the poor old chap makes a full recovery.

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    Mute j4VEpUO8
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:01 PM

    Contact Minister Creed & let him know how the majority of the public feel about the pathetic lack of law regarding animal abuse in Ireland. Every month we read about horrific animal abuse, home or abroad. Animals don’t have a voice, we do.

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    Mute Coco86
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:08 PM

    @T Jay O’Mea: I’ve already done so, can everyone who leaves a comment do the same?

    michael.creed@oir.ie

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    Mute Jazz Buckler
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:16 PM

    @Coco86: done

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    Mute Adrian O'Keeffe
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:24 PM

    @Coco86: done

    24
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    Mute j4VEpUO8
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:30 PM

    @Coco86: Nice Coco!, & the Public who do. Action is needed now. We can’t let Ministers kick the can down the road, yet pick up the perks once retired!.

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    Mute Harry N
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:59 PM

    @Coco86: done

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    Mute Cece
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    Aug 8th 2019, 8:48 PM

    @Coco86: done: thank you for providing email address

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    Mute Anne
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:38 PM

    @Cece: I will wrote too…I’m sick of this animal abuse in this country. Remember this when they come looking for your votes.

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    Mute Daithi Ó Raghallaigh
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:22 PM

    Government could end this misery, nobody should have a horse unless they provide evidence they have land or facilities for this horse and a vet should do a medical at least once a year. These are beautiful animals being tortured in fear of offending culture.

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    Mute Bríd Uí Mhaoluala
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:04 PM

    @Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: Legallly , any horse / pony must have a micro-chip, passport and the owner must provide details of where the animal is kept . Pretty sure that law was ignored in this case .

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    Mute Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin
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    Aug 8th 2019, 9:20 PM

    @Bríd Uí Mhaoluala: If laws were enforced they wouldn’t be ignored. There are no resources put into animal welfare or the enforcement of regulations requiring chipping, passports or registration of premises.

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    Mute Emma Long
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:29 PM

    Email sent to michael.creed@oir.ie too

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    Mute j4VEpUO8
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:36 PM

    @Emma Long: you go girl! :)

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    Mute Shala
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    Aug 8th 2019, 2:48 PM

    I hate people so, so much.

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    Mute Terry McSweeney
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    Aug 8th 2019, 8:03 PM

    @Shala: ahh I’m people and I’m alright

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    Mute G Row
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:03 PM

    No doubt another bunch of the usual macho track-suited f##kwits with the usual macho dogs.

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    Mute Ann Nugent
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:45 PM

    @G Row: no doubt.

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    Mute Emily Tosun
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:33 PM

    Some sick people going around hurting that poor defenceless animal. They should be locked up and the key thrown away

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    Mute Delboy
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:23 PM

    This is absolutely shocking. Whoever did this to that animal should be used as target practice by the army. Journal – the story should be updated with a link for donations to the charity. Have donated myself. Hope others do too and we get a good update on this story.

    https://www.mylovelyhorserescue.com

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    Mute Anne
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:42 PM

    @Delboy: it’s a really good charity.

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    Mute Den Henry
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:28 PM

    OMG that is so cruel these people responsible for this should be left without food and water for one month.

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    Mute j4VEpUO8
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:34 PM

    @Den Henry: you’re been kind…

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    Mute OConnelj
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:18 PM

    @Den Henry: Good idea, they would be dead inside a week.
    CAB should also do a bit of investigating into some of these so called horse lovers. No visible means of income yet they keep a lot of horses, drive top of the range vehicles, most have no fixed abode and go on lavish holidays. They only care about one thing, themselves. Shower of no-good, robbing, neanderthals.

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    Mute Den Henry
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    Aug 8th 2019, 7:56 PM

    @OConnelj: well said

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    Mute Maria Spain
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:31 PM

    Jesus, animal cruelty in this country never ceases to shock me. Poor beautiful harmless animal, hope the rest of his days are filled with love and care.

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    Mute marianne ryan
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:52 PM

    Its always the volunteers like mylovelyhorse rescue that are out saving animals. Never any sign of gardai, ispca or usually dept of agriculture. Recently a poor abused dog was found and the gardai wouldn’t attend, they literally couldn’t care less and ispca closed for weekend. There’s no one to call or do anything even if abuse is filmed, its just sickening that these poor dogs&horses would literally be better of dead

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    Mute Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin
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    Aug 8th 2019, 9:22 PM

    @marianne ryan: The ISPCA have few powers and even fewer resources. As for the gardaí I doubt they don’t care, they simply don’t have the manpower.

    8
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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:50 PM

    @marianne ryan: the bigger an organisation/sector is, the less work they seem to do

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    Mute marianne ryan
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:52 PM

    @Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin: the ispca, dept of agriculture and gardai in my area left a horse to starve to death even though reported many times because they knew who owned the poor soul.

    9
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    Mute Kayleigh Furlong-Folan
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:12 PM

    People know this behaviour carries on. They are just as bad as the perpetrator… People attend these dog fights for ”sport”… Sickening!

    116
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    Mute Veruca Salt
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:05 PM

    Give me 15 mins in a room with whoever done this

    35
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    Mute Coco86
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:19 PM

    Spare a thought for the dogs as well, must have been starved

    60
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    Mute Artugal
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    Aug 8th 2019, 8:03 PM

    @Coco86: the cruelty is developed in the kind of way that you wonder if there’s any limit to it. Soulless people get enjoyment out of suffering, sadly there are many.

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    Mute Chris Creagh
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:00 PM

    Animals

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    Mute Tony Mcintyre
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:54 PM

    @Chris Creagh: a lot lower down the pecking order than animals, can’t type what i want to say about them tbh

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    Mute Chris Creagh
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:23 PM

    @Tony Mcintyre: you are right it was the first thing that came to mind though

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    Mute KJmadra.
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    Aug 8th 2019, 3:02 PM

    B%s’a&d# should be thrown to the dogs.

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    Mute Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:41 PM

    Poor little dude.

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    Mute James Bishop
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:40 PM

    Sickening. Animal abusers should get 20 years in prison.

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    Mute Aisling Mcgovern
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:11 PM

    Email sent to michael.creed@oir.ie

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    Mute Annette
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:13 PM

    Anyone have a link to donate to my lovely horse for the vet bills?

    Email sent also

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    Mute Jill Elliott
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:52 PM

    @Annette: its on Go Fund Me under the name Little Mickey..

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    Mute Anne
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:46 PM
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    Mute Daithi Ó Raghallaigh
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:00 PM

    horrible people irish government: Nobody should own a horse without permanent facilities to cater for it. – Sign the Petition! http://chng.it/TYMDsmb8 via @Change

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    Mute Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin
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    Aug 8th 2019, 9:22 PM

    @Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: This law is already in place, it simply isn’t enforced.

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    Mute Ann Morris Doolan
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    Aug 8th 2019, 9:33 PM

    @Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: absolutely the only way…

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    Mute Anne
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:48 PM

    @Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: thanks Daithi….

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    Mute Philip Farrell
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    Aug 8th 2019, 6:08 PM

    Email sent to michael.creed@oir.ie

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    Mute Nowa Huta
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    Aug 8th 2019, 11:16 PM

    Pi keys

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    Mute Lorna Wilson
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:28 PM

    Poor pony

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    Mute mary maguire
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    Aug 8th 2019, 8:35 PM

    Signed petition and sent email to michael creed.. what kind of country is this when you have so called human beings can look at a defenceless animal suffering like that.. these are an evil in society and a danger .. their faces should be published for all to see the sc#m that they are.

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    Mute John Paul
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:50 PM

    Sickos

    12
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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:54 PM

    The poor thing must have been terrified and in so much pain. I cant get my head around what some poor excuses for humans are capable of, there absolute lack of conscience and passive cruelty to a defenseless animal.

    10
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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:54 PM

    @Pauline Gallagher: their!

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    Mute Pete Lee
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    Aug 8th 2019, 7:41 PM

    I have never done gofundme
    So maybe im a cynic but how do I know that the fund is value and helps the horse

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    Mute Mary D
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    Aug 8th 2019, 9:19 PM

    @Pete Lee: I’ve just made donation directly to my lovely horse via their website.

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    Mute Anne
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:51 PM

    @Pete Lee: it’s good to do it on their website

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    Mute James Gannon
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    Aug 8th 2019, 7:05 PM
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    Mute trebloc01
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    Aug 8th 2019, 6:10 PM

    What is the cost of a license to have this pony ?

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    Mute Bobby McLoughlin
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    Aug 8th 2019, 8:03 PM

    What kind of filth would do something like that

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    Mute Jacqui Curtis-owens
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:58 PM

    May the people who did this to this little pony die roaring

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    Mute In my opinion
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    Aug 8th 2019, 5:13 PM

    Dirty rotten ba$tard cuñt$ motherless pričks anyway

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    Mute Thomas Quinn
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    Aug 8th 2019, 4:08 PM

    Kill them all involved

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    Mute Olive Tierney
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    Aug 9th 2019, 12:27 AM

    I hope and pray this little pony Mikey makes a full recovery, and gets the good home he deserves..Just heart breaking to read and see this photos

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    Mute Anne
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    Aug 8th 2019, 10:59 PM

    Donation made

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    Mute Harry Moore
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    Aug 8th 2019, 9:29 PM

    Donate money to the rescue group instead of making slanderous and nasty comments.

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    Mute Eddie O'Neill
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    Aug 8th 2019, 11:06 PM
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    Mute Philip Farrell
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    Aug 8th 2019, 6:08 PM

    Ireland is a shit-hole.

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    Mute Stephen Benson
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    Aug 9th 2019, 11:42 AM

    @PhilipFarrell, couldn’t have said it better myself, the day I walked away from the place, the best decision I ever made.

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    Mute Patrick McCann
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    Aug 10th 2019, 5:20 PM

    make animal cruelty a major election issue

    1
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