MSPCA opens animal cruelty investigation at Falmouth farm

FALMOUTH, Mass. — The MSPCA has opened an animal cruelty investigation at a farm on Cape Cod.

Boston 25 News viewers sent us photos they say are from Smithfield Farm in Falmouth of horses with visible rib cages. On Tuesday, the MSPCA visited the farm and determined they will continue with a full investigation.

Many in the community say they have been pushing for an investigation for months.

"I'm very concerned for those horses," said Maria Harrington, a trainer at Sterling Pointe Farm, an equestrian facility, in Rochester.

Last summer, the Sterling Pointe Farm says they took in two horses that had been boarded at Smithfield that were voluntarily surrendered to them.

"We were able to, a team of us, rescue the horses, bring them here and rehab them," said Harrington.

"I said this can't go on. This has got to be stopped," said Bill Ritchie, who manages Sterling Pointe Farm. "The pictures will tell the story."

Boston 25 News spoke briefly off-camera with the woman who runs Smithfield Farm. She declined to answer any questions about the condition of any of the animals at the farm. She says she will let the MSPCA investigation speak for itself.

It's unclear how many horses live at the farm — it's a combination of horses owned by the farm and horses that are boarded there.

At this point, the MSPCA cannot release any details on their investigation.

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Cox Media Group