Update: Rescued Berkley ponies nursed back to health as they learn to trust people again

METHUEN — The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals hopes to have six ponies from Berkley that allegedly suffered neglect ready for adoption on May 13.

MSPCA Angell Director of Adoption Services Michael Keiley said the Animal Rescue League took the ponies to the agency’s farm in Methuen from “a bad situation” that involved not being fed properly.

“Our role is to take them … and start them on a new journey in their lives,” he said.

The ponies have been under MSPCA care since Berkley horse breeder Gary Bolger was charged with 13 counts of animal cruelty by the Animal Rescue League.

He will be arraigned in Taunton District Court to answer the charges on May 18.

Animal Rescue League Lt. Alan Borgal reported nine ponies were rescued from Bolger’s farm, and investigators found three dead ponies and a dead horse at the site.

The agency is providing care for three ponies at a Dedham shelter.

Animal Rescue League spokesperson Mike Defina said the ponies' health conditions are improving at different rates.

"We need to ensure that they’re at an ideal weight and condition before placing them into new homes," he said.

Ponies recovering from lack of food

Keiley said the ponies being cared for at the MSPCA Angell farm “were quite thin” upon arriving.

“Most of our focus has been their low body weight,” he said. “The refeeding process is tricky because horses have a sensitive digestive system. That is true of most species. As we go through the refeeding process, we must avoid going too fast because that would create a downturn and jeopardize them. We got to a point where we established a feeding baseline and went from there.”

Keiley said the ponies are regaining weight, and “it’s impressive how many pounds they have put on.”

“It amazes me how our team and the veterinary staff that we bring in have attacked this issue and gotten them back on track,” he said.

“It was gut-wrenching to see how they were on the cusp of not being able to maintain themselves. It inspires me to see how they are brightening up with getting the resources they need and attention they deserve.”

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Keiley said a few ponies gained weight “a little too quickly.”

“We peeled back the feeding a little bit for them,” he said. “The weight gain for the ponies has been mostly completed at this point.”

Ponies adjust to people

Keiley said the ponies went for a long time without human interaction until they were rescued.

“They came in pretty scared and stressed,” he said. “We could not do much with them or put halters on them.”

Keiley said five of the six ponies are getting used to being with people.

“We have one that is not wanting us to touch her,” he said.

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Keiley said the staff is taking “a gentle approach” toward the pony that is uneasy about people.

“It takes time and consistency,” he said. “The right approach is gentle, and that encourages her to accept some human interaction.”

Keiley said the ponies’ ages range from 4 to 15 years old.

Ponies being prepared for adoption

Keiley said MSPCA Angell hopes to have the ponies healthy enough for adoption following a veterinary exam on May 13.

“We plan to have them complete some required health tests and receive vaccinations,” he said. “If there are no red flags, we are prepared to send them on to their next life.”

Keiley said MSPCA Angell is looking for potential adoptive hopefuls that have experience caring for ponies and adequate equine resources.

“If anybody is interested, they should reach out to us and express interest,” he said.

Keiley said MSPCA Angell’s staff could discern a troubling situation in a potential adoptive hopeful.

“Our system wants to be sure they (animals) don’t get into another bad situation,” he said. “We have an experienced team that can converse with people and identifies any troubling situation.”

Keiley said most people who seek to adopt an animal from MSPCA “want to connect with our mission” and not hurt creatures.

“If there are any questions, we handle them individually,” he said.

People interested in adopting a pony can contact the MSPCA online at Nevins Farm Adoption Inquiry or by calling 978-687-7453.

Ponies are an Irish breed

Keiley said the ponies are Connemaras, a common breed in Ireland.

“The Connemara is named after a county in Ireland,” he said. “There are not many of them in the U.S. They have a big following, and many people care for that breed of ponies.”

Keiley said the MSPCA farm has a strong Irish theme because of the ponies' presence and eight Kerry cows that are common in Ireland.

“The Irish cattle were surrendered to us from Amherst,” he said. “It’s a rare breed.”

The MSPCA reported the cattle were surrendered to them by Shannon Rice-Nichols of Hadley on March 14 following an investigation.

MSPCA Law Enforcement charged Rice-Nichols with 35 counts of animal cruelty and she will be arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court to answer the charges on May 12.

MSPCA Law Enforcement Files 35 Charges of Animal Cruelty in “Endangered Breed”

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Berkley: Rescued ponies being prepared for adoption by MSPCA