Aspects of the owning/keeping and disposal of horses, and how these relate to equine health/welfare in Ireland.

This research article explores issues surrounding the management, trade, disposal, and overall care of horses in Ireland, with a specific focus on their health and welfare. It highlights the inconsistencies in governance and regulatory application among different jurisdictions and proposes a more uniform, centrally mandated system of governance to improve equine welfare.

Study Methodology

• The methods utilized to gather primary information in this research were visits to numerous places related to horse handling and care. These included horse pounds, social horse projects, horse dealer yards, ferry ports, horse slaughter plants and knackeries which dispose of dead animals.
• The objective of these visits was to observe the practices and conditions in which the horses were kept. Additionally, they allowed the researchers to understand how the existing laws and regulations were being implemented across different areas.

Findings

• The study found significant variances in the approach adopted by different groups or entities in terms of horse management and care. For example, different local authorities have implemented the Control of Horses Act of 1986 in varying degrees, and these differences have consequently affected the standard of animal welfare.
• The decisions made by horse owners, such as the choice of disposal route for unwanted horses, were found to impact the overall animal welfare significantly.

Conclusions

• The conclusion of the research highlights an urgent need for a more centralized and uniformly applied system of governance in order to guarantee the health and welfare of horses in Ireland. This call for uniformity acknowledges the existing discrepancies in the handling, trade, and disposal of horses across different localities.
• At the heart of the identified issues is a deficiency in a comprehensive system for the registration, identification, and tracing of equidae (horse family) in Ireland. The current irregularities in this system cause difficulties in oversight, which contributes to the inadequate care and improper disposal of horses.