Vorselaar police investigate suspected sexual abuse of a pony

The Antwerp Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into a 47-year-old truck driver suspected of performing sexual acts on a pony in Vorselaar, Belgium.

According to surveillance footage, an unknown man entered a meadow via a canal around 7:10 a.m. The footage shows the individual looking under a pony's tail and attempting to lead the animal toward a stable. When the pony did not comply, the man reportedly pulled the animal into the stable by its neck. The man remained inside the stable for approximately twenty minutes.

The owner of the property reported that the pony, named Roosje, exhibited unusual behavior and that other horses also reacted strangely. The suspect, a man from Tajikistan driving a vehicle with Lithuanian license plates, was located at a nearby highway parking area. While he was interrogated by police, he was subsequently released and is expected to present himself again next week.

Animal rights organization GAIA expressed disappointment regarding the suspect's release, citing concerns that he might flee. Sexual acts with animals are a criminal offense in Flanders.