Horse hit in eye by firework may have to be put down

A horse may have to be put to sleep after he was hit in the face by a firework set off in field, his owners say.

The firework caused severe damage to Dettori’s eye after it hit him during a 30-minute display next to the field of horses in Countesswells, Aberdeen. His owners said the rocket pushed the animal’s eye ‘so far into the socket that all the fluid came out and filled with blood’.

Writing on a Go Fund Me page for the horse, they said they’d been told he could be put to sleep or go for an operation to have his eye removed. They added: ‘In the words of our vet, “the damage is so severe it is irreversible”.’

They went on: ‘This is the reality my mum and I are faced with after your horrific choice to set fireworks off next to a field full of horses.

‘After confronting the man about the disgusting incident, no remorse was shown, the police have been contacted and a file has been raised in the hope he has to face up to his actions.

‘As you can imagine we were so distraught as to what had happened, the photos are not very clear. However, both me and my mum feel it was important to share the message as to why fireworks are so dangerous, especially when they are reckless.

‘I hope what has happened to Dettori as awful as it is, prevents something like this happening to someone’s else horse.

‘We are still unsure as to the outcome; we are waiting to see how Dettori handles the trauma he has been inflicted, and as you can imagine he is very stressed.

‘Please think about your actions and the consequences they have on others. If it were not for our friends at the yard, we would not have found Dettori until the morning. No animal deserves this.’

The fundraising page, which had a target of £1,200, has now raised more than £12,500 towards the cost of Dettori’s treatment. The owners said any extra money will be donated to the SSPCA, to help other animals who have been injured by fireworks.