A LAUNCESTON area resident has called for equine owners to take responsibility for their animals, after a pony recently got stuck in a cattle grid, writes Suzanne Cleave.

Rebecca Clayton was driving her children to school at around 7.30am on February 12 when she came across a pony that had become trapped in a cattle grid, on a farm lane off the A395 on the Tregeare road.

She said a number of cars passed by without stopping, but she stopped and telephoned the fire brigade. A crew from Launceston and the animal rescue unit from Bodmin shortly arrived at the scene and got to work on freeing the animal.

Rebecca explained: "The pony, aged under three years and unbroken, was in a state of complete distress, having been stuck for a number of hours in a cattle grid of a local farmer's drive. It was completely tired out and had given up I think. The pony was grazed on the adjacent fenced in part of moorland and had been released to source its own forage and water.

"All four legs were immobilised and the pony had blood pouring from its muzzle, where perhaps it had been scraping the ground trying to free itself. The pony had emptied its bowels and urinated due to the complete terror of being trapped."

Fire officers used crash rescue equipment to spread the bars of the cattle grid and released the pony.

"The pony was rescued successfully yet staggered back out onto the moor grazing on Tregeare Down. Luckily the legs weren't broken. Had we not stopped I think it would have been left to die in a cattle grid," added Rebecca.

Since the day of the incident, Rebecca has noticed the pony now only has the full use of three legs and is hobbling around.

She has appealed to all equine owners to take full care and responsibility for their animals, and in particular, to keep them away from busy roads.

"We are all glad the pony seems to have survived its ordeal, but why was this allowed to happen? If they get up onto the main road, they could cause a horrendous accident. It's so easy for accidents to happen and owners should be more responsibe.

"The fire brigade were brilliant. Thanks to them for their rapid response and critical assessment of the situation. Please let this not be repeated. There are lots of people who own horses round here and they have padlocks on their gates and are aware of the security measures. People shouldn't have these animals if they can't look after them."