Thursday, 20 March 2025

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:47): (1488) My constituency question is for the Minister for Agriculture. I have been inundated with emails over the past week about the horrific neglect horses have been experiencing in six properties across the Macedon Ranges for over 10 years. Images show horses emaciated and starving with deep, open and untreated wounds. The owner, in response to public outrage, has been throwing out mouldy bread to the horses. Despite the community pleading with the RSPCA to save these horses, it was actually Project Hope Horse Welfare who had to step in to provide veterinary care in January. The CFA and other locals have also stepped up to try to save these horses, providing emergency care, filling water troughs and doing feed drops, but with inaction from authorities, a horse died three weeks ago. My constituents want to know whether the minister will order the RSPCA to go in and finally seize these horses.