The Daily Star’s FREE newsletter is spectacular! Sign up today for the best stories straight to your inbox

Distressing CCTV of a "shocking and barbaric" assault on a horse and a lurcher-type dog has been shared by police in the hope of finding witnesses.

In the clip, described by police as "too upsetting to watch in its entirety", a man riding a trap being pulled by a horse in Shepperton, Surrey on February 9, suddenly stops in the middle of the road.

He then gets out of the trap and pulls it off the horse and then turns to face the animal.

According to Surrey Police, after he unhitched the horse he proceeded to beat it multiple times with a riding crop and it was later seized under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, along with the lurcher, and both were given medical treatment for their injuries.

PS Lee Donovan from the Neighbourhood Patrol Team said: "This incident which was captured on CCTV is a shocking and barbaric assault on two helpless animals.

"We are extremely keen to hear from anyone who witnessed this male prior to the attack on the animals riding around on local roads including any dashcam footage.

"Surrey Police take animal cruelty extremely seriously and will be pursuing this offender."

• 

  Camouflage-wearing poachers 'turn aggressive' when confronted before ducks found dead

Anyone using CCTV, bicycle head cams, or dashboard cameras in the Shepperton area on February 9 between 2.30 pm and 3 pm is asked to check the footage for a man riding a trap.

Police said they were looking for anything that might identify him and said no detail was insignificant.

The man is described as white, with dark hair and a stocky build.

Meanwhile, the injured lurcher is black with white patches and the horse has a brown and white pattern.

• Animals
• Crime

Source: Read Full Article