Article
Commodity Watch written by Policy Officer, Dr Geoff Thompson
Recently the topic of ‘wild’ horses has been raised to the UFU’s animal health and welfare committee. The issue stems from an increasing number of unregistered or abandoned horses found wandering public roads or grazing on farmer’s property. In these cases, farmers are concerned about public safety, costs incurred (to care for or rehome/dispose of these animals), and a lack of clarity as to which public authority has responsibility to act in which circumstances. Our members are also frustrated by the perception that local authorities are not enforcing current rules in relation to registration of equines.
On behalf of our membership, the UFU has raised these concerns with DAERA. At present, this issue falls under at least three different pieces of legislation, which can result in confusion for all parties involved when trying to resolve issues. Currently, responsibility for horses on public roads lies with the PSNI. Whereas responsibility for abandoned horses lies with district councils. However, they currently only have to intervene if the animal is suffering or is likely to suffer if its circumstances do not change.
In the short term, DAERA has committed to reminding involved parties of their roles and responsibilities under the current legislation. However, it is the belief of the UFU that the current disjointed and archaic structure of the legislation governing this issue is not fit for purpose. Our committee is aware that in order to streamline and clarify this process in England, the issue was brought under a single legislative act called the Control of Horses Act. Our committee would like to see a similar process conducted in Northern Ireland in order to clarify roles and responsibilities and where possible to reduce bureaucracy and costs associated with dealing with this issue. With no sitting executive in Stormont, this is unlikely to be possible in the short term. However, we are committed to working with other interested parties in order to identify the best long-term solution for all involved.
