THE case of an equine “sanctuary” from which 137 horses were removed, many in poor condition, highlights the need for the licensing of such organisations.
Sandra Jane Kaverneng-Stolp, known as Sandra Stolp, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act, relating to 22 horses, at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on 15 February. The 54-year-old, of Derwen Road, Pontardawe, Swansea, ran the Whispering Willows sanctuary.
{"content":"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"}
You might also be interested in…
Credit: RSPCA
‘Buying horses out of perceived welfare situations is not rescuing; it is creating a market for horses to receive poor
Credit: RSPCA
“Sadly, when things went wrong, these horses suffered the consequences”
Library image.
‘In the vast majority of cases, people set up with the best intentions’
Library image.
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
Credit: RSPCA
One horse had to be put down and another had to have his eye removed after the woman who ran
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
H&H news editor
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.