A dog, a cat, and six horses died in agony after thugs set a farm on fire.
The suspected arson took place in East Sussex, England, where the Quimble Stud Farm was set on fire while helpless animals were trapped inside.
As the 69-year-old owner of the farm, Barbara Joyce, expressed after the terrible deed, she can’t comprehend why anyone would do this to her beloved animals.
“What could I have ever done to anyone? I have never hurt anyone. Why would anyone burn my horses to death? My old dog and my cat died in the fire as well,” Joyce said as she admitted that her heart was left shattered.
“The barn was just a shell and there were smoldering bodies around. They were my babies. They would see me coming through in the middle of the barn and come to see if I had got them a snack.
“We’re just in pieces. Why would anyone do that? I don’t know how someone could consciously set alight a barn full of horses. We are just reeling from it. My heart is in a million pieces.”
As the farm owner, who has more than 20 horses, added, she only kept the traumatized and most prominent horses in the barn that was set on fire.
“These weren’t just any ordinary horses, these were our special horses. The ones that were in there were the ones that either needed special attention or were for the show season,” Joyce added.
“One was a young eight-months-old colt. What a beautiful boy, he used to lie in the stable with my granddaughter. He was going to be our future stud stallion. He was an Irish draught called Pluto.”
Among the killed animals were also 14-year-old Dolly the pug cross and Tatiana the cat.
An investigation into the incident has since been launched, whereas the authorities are reportedly treating the fire as suspicious.
Following the arson, two men were arrested. They have since been released on conditional bail pending investigation.
“The fire is being treated as suspicious and two men, aged 40 and 24, have been arrested on suspicion of arson. They have both been released on conditional bail until February 13 while enquiries continue,” Sussex Police confirmed.
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Replaced!