Dungannon: 'Traumatic night' as investigation gets under way after three horses die

A deeply distressing incident unfolded in a muddy field in the Dungannon area of County Tyrone, where volunteers discovered a yearling horse suffering severe seizures. The horse was found lying on its back by Jacqui Short Boyce, who noticed the animal while passing the field on Wednesday. Despite efforts to comfort the horse throughout the night, it had to be euthanised when no owner could be located. Volunteers later found two additional deceased horses near a wet ditch at the rear of the field and are urging authorities to ensure all three bodies are removed promptly.

Jacqui Short Boyce recounted the heart-wrenching experience, stating, “You could clearly see this horse, that he was suffering, so I tended to him.” When she first approached, the horse whinnied and seemed to call out for assistance. After contacting a veterinarian, she was informed that euthanasia could not proceed without the owner’s consent. Unable to find the owner and having received no response from the police, Boyce reached out to the animal welfare charity My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue. The charity then appealed for volunteers, drawing about six people who arrived with blankets and warm water to help. Despite their many hours of care, no owner appeared, and eventually a vet agreed to humanely put the horse, whom the volunteers named “Cookie,” to sleep.

Martina Kenny, co-founder of My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue, expressed concerns that the horses may have been abandoned after becoming ill or injured. She remarked, “Why would they pay for a vet? Why would they be bothered? They just leave them. It’s happening all over.” Kenny also highlighted the frequency of animal abandonment cases the charity encounters daily, involving various animals such as horses, dogs, pigs, and goats. She praised the volunteers for their compassion in staying with Cookie through what she described as a “sad, horrible traumatic night.”

One of the volunteers, Hayley Doak, who normally works with dog rescues in Ballygawley, responded to the call for help despite having limited experience with horses. She said, “I’m usually dealing with dogs so I see a lot of cruelty and neglect. I don’t have much experience with equines but I felt I had to go and help.” Another volunteer, Fiona Harrison, commented on the difficulties in obtaining support for animals in distress, suggesting that authorities seemed reluctant to take responsibility. “It was absolutely horrific to see an animal in such distress, it was just awful,” she said. The volunteers left flowers at the field as a tribute. Meanwhile, the Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed their attendance and have passed the case to Mid Ulster Council, which oversees enforcement, though the council declined to comment due to the ongoing investigation

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