Sanctuary's plea to help out a pony in need of help
HE is cute, under three feet tall, around 12 years old - and is clinging to life.
Meet Guinness, the Shetland pony who arrived at North Anston’s Thornberry Animal Sanctuary in a “truly heartbreaking condition”.
Spokeswoman Lynsey Colebrook said he had been suffering from open malignant tumours, and bleeding, leaving him in “constant pain and in desperate need of urgent treatment”.
Guinness has been referred to a specialist equine hospital for a full assessment; but they know already that he will need to be castrated.
The sarcomas around his groin and belly aren’t his only issue; he has significant damage to the ligament system in his left hind leg.
Thankfully, Lynsey said: “He is lucky to be such a small pony, as he carries very little weight on the joint and has managed to cope remarkably well with what is actually very severe damage”.
The leg was most likely injured when he was a tiny yearling - being ridden around the streets, she added.
As a yearling, a pony’s skeleton is still immature, the joints and growth plates are not yet fully developed or fused, meaning carrying a rider at that stage can lead to injury and long-term damage.
Guinness is being looked after at the sanctuary’s farm site at Silverthorpe Farm in Ravenfield.
“Despite everything, he has unbelievably survived without proper function in his stay apparatus - a system that allows horses to stand and rest,” said Lynsey.
“Every single day has been a struggle for him. His past owner loved him deeply but couldn’t afford the rising costs of his care, and made the heartbreaking decision to let him go so he could finally get help.
“We’re taking things step by step and doing all we can for him. But we are running out of time.
“We are pleading for help. We need to raise funds urgently to get Guinness to the specialist and start the treatment he so desperately needs.
“Every donation, no matter how small, could be the difference between continued suffering and a future where Guinness finally knows comfort, safety, and kindness.
“If everyone reading this email donated just £1, it would make a huge difference in helping us cover the costs of care for animals like Guinness.”
To help save Guinness, donations can be made to: https://www.thornberryanimalsanctuary.org/help-save-guinness/