THIS shocking image of a dying Shetland pony has been released by the RSPCA in a bid to highlight the treatment received by animals at the hands of irresponsible owners – and to encourage more people to report suspected maltreatment.

A 30-year-old man from Worcestershire was jailed for 16 weeks and banned from keeping animals for life after the pony was found severely underweight, with a filthy coat and diarrhoea caked around his tail.

He was tethered to a stake just 100 feet from where fireworks had been set off in a caravan park.

The terrified pony had wrapped his tether around the stake and was pinned to the ground.

His head collar was so tightly fitted it had left permanent marks on his skull.

A member of the public tended to the animal, who tried to warm him up and give him fluids with a syringe, but the pony would not drink.

A vet was called, but the pony died a few hours later.

The vet confirmed the pony suffered and would have been very distressed continued on page 2 when he could not escape from the noise of the fireworks.

His owner claimed he did not know the pony was emaciated due to his thick coat and said he had only become thin during the last couple of days.

He pleaded guilty to failing to address the pony’s weight loss or provide appropriate veterinary care and failing to protect the pony from pain and injury, failing to provide him with a suitable diet and failing to protect him from fear by tethering him too close to a fireworks display.

Convictions for animal neglect and cruelty in England and Wales rose by nearly 34 per cent in 2012 in England and Wales, with the number of defendants convicted rising by 15.7 per cent.

And while the figures, released as part of RSPCA Week which runs until May 5, revealed convictions fell in Worcestershire from 11 to five from 2011 to 2012, the charity has highlighted the plight of the Shetland in a bid to stamp out the problem.

RSPCA chief executive Gavin Grant said: “For us, prosecution is always the last resort. Our inspectors investigated 150,833 suspected cruelty cases and issued 78,090 advice notices last year – these are extremely effective in improving the care of animals.

“However, if there is evidence of a crime and serious animal abuse then we will take legal action to protect the animals and prevent further abuse. We also want to see judges taking these offences far more seriously.”

RSPCA Week 2013 is an annual fundraising and awareness drive.

Last year, the RSPCA raised more than £395,000 from community events, collections, donations and corporations.