New consultation seeks to tackle abandoned horse issue
ABANDONED horses are the subject of a new Welsh Government consultation.
Ministers said they wanted to find a long-term solution to the issue, which has featured regularly in the Evening Post.
The eight-week consultation also seeks to address fly-grazing — the term for leaving grazing animals on land without the owner's permission.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Alun Davies AM, said the Welsh Government wanted a "zero tolerance approach" to ensure Wales was "free from the unacceptable social, economic and environmental harm caused by the nuisance of fly-grazing".
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Mr Davies said enforcement agencies and welfare groups were tackling these issues "head on".
But last week farmers' group NFU Cymru claimed there were no efficient or cost-effective legal tools to stamp out fly-grazing.
Swansea Council impounded 341 horses in the past three years and did not prosecute any owners for not having passports for their animals, as owners are supposed to have. Owners are not allowed to tether their horses on council-owned land.
Post readers have repeatedly voiced their concerns about the plight of horses that have either been found dead or in a poor condition. Just over a week ago Swansea mum Catherine Clutterbuck found a dead mare among trees in Long Ridge, Mayhill.
Responsible horse owners in the area may be feeling the actions of a few are giving all owners a bad name.
Comments
by VANAH
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 8:33AM
“This is great news, but all the talk in the world isnt going to get help any faster!
The horses need to be moved, action taken to stop them being put at risk and harm, lest of all suffering and death.
The owners need to be educated (at best) or prosecuted for failing to maintain adequate welfare conditions for all of the horses.
"did not prosecute any owners for not having passports for their animals, as owners are supposed to have" = WHY NOT?? It is ILLEGAL not to have a passport for every single horse in this country so why on earth was there not one prosecution? There is a lovely £5000 fine per horse which is found without a passport - certainly the council could have utilized that income?? So if the council allow people to continue to break the law with abuse of not having passports, does that mean all the rest of the people in the borough, can stop paying the council tax and not be fined or prosecuted? We think not - or is it yet more the case "one rule for one type of person, and another for another"?? Certainly biased handling and treatment of different communities!
So - council, stop talking - start acting, welfare start seizing, all pull together and get HELP for the HORSES who need it.
VANAH on Facebook.
Voices Against Neglect and Abuse of all Horses.”