Horse starved to death at hands of animal hoarder

Anne Power in a report on TV3's Campbell Live by journalist Rebecca Wright about her serial neglect of animals.

A woman has been banned from owning animals for ten years after a horse starved to death.

Anne Power was also ordered to hand over all her animals to the SPCA.

Power was sentenced in Auckland District Court after a horse was found dead, his body "in a severely emaciated state," the SPCA said.

Power was found guilty of recklessly ill-treating the horse leading to his death.She was told to pay reparation of $4710.05 and legal costs of $1512 to SPCA Auckland.

The SPCA said charges followed the visit of an SPCA Inspector to a Riverhead property in September 2013.

The animal welfare group said an inspector found a dead horse, a 32-year-old gelding named Pip, which belonged to Power.

"The Court found that Power recklessly ill-treated Pip with the result that he slowly starved to death and would have been in severe pain for months prior to his death," the SPCA said.

"According to expert evidence, Pip suffered from severe conditions that could have been easily prevented," said Bob Kerridge, SPCA Auckland Executive Director.

"He was found with ailments including dental, lung, nasal and stomach problems, which would have caused chronic pain that no animal should have to experience."

The SPCA said Power failed to check Pip from up close during the ten day period prior to his death.