AN RSPCA investigation into the death of a pony and its foal who were both dumped in a Goldthorpe lay-by has come to an end.

The animals were left on Barnsley Council-owned land, off the A635 Doncaster Road, in fly-tipped waste at some point last Wednesday.

RSPCA officers looked into the incident following an outcry on social media last week, after passers-by posted photos of the pair, but concluded that those responsible had done so to avoid paying a disposal bill.

A spokesperson said: “We do find that people can be reluctant to call a knackerman to dispose of bodies as they charge horse owners a fee to do so, so we do get a lot of calls about this kind of thing.

“Horses are often dumped in out-of-the-way places to avoid having to pay this bill, and awful as it is to come across such a thing, it doesn’t always mean that something untoward has happened to them.

“We received a call about this sad discovery last Wednesday. In this particular case - based on the information given by the caller to our cruelty and advice line - it would seem that the horse and her foal died during birth.

“The removal of dead animals is the responsibility of the landowner, and where that doesn’t take place that may be an issue for animal health. We would only be involved if there was evidence that the animals in question had been neglected or suffered.”

Officers from the council attended the scene and removed their bodies a day later - and warned people that strict penalties will be given to anyone who is responsible for cruelty to animals.

Coun Roy Miller, cabinet spokesman, said: “If you have any concerns about an animal being mistreated, please let us know at barnsley.gov.uk/animal-welfare.

“The council takes animal welfare very seriously - anyone who is cruel to or doesn’t care for an animal properly may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 or sent to prison.”