A horse who was left badly injured during firework displays has returned home and is on the mend.
Charley Taylor and her mum Debbie Walker were relieved when the vet confirmed that horse Dettori wouldn’t need to be put down after his eye was severely injured.
On bonfire night, he was one of several horses spooked by a large display close to his field at a livery yard in Countesswells.
The owner of the yard was alerted when the horses trampled down a fence during the loud noises and discovered that Dettori’s eye had been irreparably damaged.
The horse underwent surgery to remove the eye last week and the bandages have now been removed.
Miss Taylor said: “The vet said he was the perfect patient and it doesn’t look like another operation will be needed.
“He’s on the road to recovery and is adjusting to his new normal. The vet suggested just to talk as normal when we’re around him to get used to spatial awareness.”
It was initially thought that Dettori was struck in the eye by an errant firework.
The incident shocked the nation and sparked debate about whether the pyrotechnics should be banned for individual sale.
But the police have now come to the conclusion that the animal’s injury was not caused by being hit.
Constable Ian Webster, of Hazelhead community policing team, said following “extensive inquiries” it was established that “no criminality had been identified”.
The force has determined that the injury was not “a direct result of being struck by a firework”.
However, Miss Taylor said in the 10 years Dettori has lived at the livery yard on Blacktop Road, the horse has “never been hurt like this” and is now adamant it was caused because the horse was spooked by loud bangs.
She said: “We were informed the man who set off the fire works display cannot be charged.
“We’re focusing on the positives. Despite the horrendous ordeal he is recovering well which is the main thing to us.”
A fundraising page was created after numerous people contacted Dettori’s owners asking if they could help.
Miss Taylor said: “The fundraising page has raised over £14,000 which is incredible. It helped us and it will also help other animals too.”
The proceeds from the fundraising page will be split between the SSPCA and World Horse Welfare, who run a rescue and rehoming farm in Aboyne.
