LOS FELIZ—On Friday, December 16, Zohra Fahim, the President and founder of the Los Angeles Alliance for Animals confirmed their findings of animal abuse at the Pony Rides in Griffith Park, which resulted in the death of four ponies.
Stephen Weeks, the owner of the pony ride attracted has reported that the animals did not die of abuse, but of illness, and old age.
Scarred Pony
Week’s defended himself and the care of the animals. He told Inside Edition that,
“The last thing I want to do is when I have a sick pony, I don’t want to call the City of LA, I want to call my vet out here 24 hours at night if necessary. According to reports, Weeks is currently in the process of rehoming the ponies.
Canyon News spoke to Fahim who reported she had first-hand knowledge of the abuse and the deaths of the ponies. and spoke of algae in their drinking water.
Fahim provided video footage of the ponies in extreme temperatures, kicking up dust on carriage rides, and giving little children rides on a turnstile they were chained to. The footage is posted on Fahim’s personal Facebook page.
Fahim provided pictures of the ponies the Alliance for Animals had been fighting to protect.
The following is a list of what LAAA has documented of geriatric ponies working in hot temperatures over the Summer.
Pony At Griffith Park
On August 7th geriatric ponies worked at 100 F (rides were not shut down)
On August 7th geriatric ponies worked later in the day at 97 F (rides were not shut down)
On August 12th geriatric ponies working at 93 F (rides were not slowed down)
On August 13 the geriatric ponies worked in 97 F (rides were not shut down)
On August 17th geriatric ponies worked at 91 F (rides were not slowed down)
Downtrodden Pony
On August 31st geriatric ponies worked in 96 F (rides were not shut down)
On September 1st geriatric ponies worked in 100 F (rides were not shut down)
On September 2nd geriatric ponies worked in 97 F (rides were not shut down)
On September 25th geriatric ponies worked in 90 F (rides were not slowed down)
On September 27th geriatric ponies worked in 98 F (rides were not shut down)
On September 28th geriatric ponies worked in 95 F (rides were not shut down)
A recent report from the City of Los Angeles veterinarian mentioned that 4 elderly ponies died this year, two in March, one in April, and one in August.
Spooked Pony
Canyon News reached out to the number on the Griffith Park website for the Pony Ride attraction, but the voicemail was full. A statement could not be obtained by the National Park Service in time for print.
By Sharon