(19 November 2015)

Press conference with IHP tomorrow, 20 November at 10 o‘clock, at the former “Centro Ippico Genesi” in via della Businga 7 (Bombone) in the Comune di Rignano Sull’Arno, where the abandoned horses are located. Journalist welcome.

The Florence Public Prosecutor’s Office has refused to authorise the legal seizure of nine horses, requested by the Corpo Forestale di Regello, making it impossible to transfer the animals to more suitable locations where they can be medically treated, fed, and cared for. Some of them are in an advanced stage of malnutrition – this has been confirmed via blood tests, the results of which have been presented alongside the various veterinary reports of the past few days, and the official complaint regarding their condition. Two horses have grave respiratory problems which are likely to worsen.

On 24 October IHP went to the place following a complaint about the horses’ condition. In an abandoned former riding yard, we found one mare in terrible pain, and other horses in desperate states and clearly severely undernourished. For the mare it was unfortunately just too late, and after several hours of emergency treatment administered by the IHP vet, the mare was euthanised to put her out of her misery.

Following this, IHP contacted the Corpo Forestale, who very swiftly went into action: IHP had undertaken to provide first aid and care, and hay, while the Comune di Rignano provided water with the assistance of VAB volunteers.

Meanwhile, in agreement with the Forestale, and while waiting for the authorisation to legally seize the animals, IHP went into action to find appropriate temporary rehoming of the horses. But, inexplicably, the Public Prosecutor’s office denied authorisation, thus returning the animals to their previous state, i.e abandonment.

We immediately lodged another complaint – through the lawyers Chiara Lanzillotta and Francesco De Monte – outlining the matter from its outset and underlining the urgency of the need to legally seize and move the horses. The current conditions in which the horses are being kept are not minimally suitable for their welfare:
- it is not clear at the present time who is responsible for these animals and there is certainly no-one designated to look after them;
- several of the horses need an urgent programme of nutrition to bring them back to acceptable weight, something which cannot possibly be done where they are now due to lack of facilities and trained personnel;
- the horses with respiratory problems urgently need to be taken away from the source of their allergy, i.e. the hay, if their pathology is to be controlled, rather than aggravated as is currently the case;
- the Comune stopped providing water three days ago, on the grounds that it had been provided earlier for a short emergency period only;
- the paddock where the horses are kept is both too small and totally inadequate grazing, and when it rains will be transformed into a mud bath;
- winter is at the door, and the thinnest of these animals will likely not survive if they remain in these conditions.

Given the unwillingness to act of the Public Prosecutor’s office to date, IHP wishes to bring the attention of the general public and the press to this surreal case, to show everyone the condition the horses are in, and the fact that they receive food and water today only because IHP is providing that, together with some private citizens who have offered their help.
During the press conference we will show photos and video footage of the first IHP intervention.