Owner of emaciated, lame mare left unable to eat without proper vet care taken to court by RSPCA,

A sick, skeletal horse was allegedly left to starve in a paddock because its boozed-up owner didn’t want the knackery to “chop its head off”.

Brian May is in court after an elderly mare was left to starve on his property, a court has heard.

An elderly mare was left to starve in a paddock because her owner did not want to pay for its veterinary care, a court has heard.

The Dandenong Magistrates Court heard Brian May, Valentine’s owner, said he wanted the horse to pass away of old age, surrounded by her family and friends, and refused to get a vet to check the animal, saying “I didn’t want to pay a vet to tell me what I already knew”.

“I prayed that she would die in the paddock. That’s what I wanted. So her suffering would end,” Mr May said.

Mr May pleaded not guilty for the three charges RSPCA brought against him under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act despite knowing the 31-year-old horse was unwell and suffering.

“She was arthritic, her back was out … She was getting old and she was gonna die,” he said.

Kerrie Gregory, a senior inspector for the RSCPA, told the court she had seen the horse on a number of occasions, and served a 48-hour notice to comply to Mr May, after witnessing its rapid deterioration in health.

Mr May claimed he was under the influence of alcohol every time the RSPCA visited his property.

“Every time the RSPCA has come around I’ve been drinking. I haven’t been very nice,” he said.

Expert witness veterinarian Dr Marcus Valmadre told the court Valentine was severely underweight and unable to eat due to a number of dental issues.

Given the other health issues Valentine had, it was Dr Valmadre’s opinion that the only option was to humanely euthanize the horse.

Mr May refused to get an equine veterinary check on the elderly mare or to surrender the animal to the local knackery.

“I thought they were gonna take her away and chop her head off,” Mr May told the court.

“That’s my animal, I wanted her to die in her home.”

The court heard that Mr May had never had a vet look at her teeth, and the last time anyone had looked at the horse regarding her health was four to five years prior to the RSPCA involvement.

In photographic and video evidence given to the court, the horse appeared emaciated, its ribs and pelvis clearly visible through its skin.

The court was adjourned, and the ruling date remains undecided.