Posted by JB | Posted in Opinion Polls | Share Your Views | Posted on 11-01-2012
Tags: animal welfare, fly grazing, horse theft, licence owners & keepers
If You Own or keep a Horse Or Pony, Donkey or Mule Should You Need a Licence?
With the increase in fly grazing, theft, cruelty and neglect is there now a stronger case for owners and keepers of horses and ponies to be licensed?
Why ask the question?
The current passport system does not address the problems of poor animal welfare and theft. The passport system was introduced to help identify and prevent some horses and ponies from entering the human food chain; it was also intended to reduce the amount of equine theft. It goes some way to identifying the animal (compulsory photographs of the horse would help) but not the person responsible for their welfare
One suggestion is that the owner/keeper details should also include a national insurance number or driving license or passport number, thus offering proof of a person’s identity. If the registered owner is not the keeper this should also be documented with a record of who, when and where that animal was loaned to. This could be a detachable page given to the keeper while the owner retains the main passport
So is it practical for an owner/keeper license to be included as part of the current system? Would this make the owner or keeper of a horse more accountable to the authorities should the need arise?
Why Have an Owner or Keeper License For All Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Mules?
1) It could help to reduce the neglect and cruelty if the owner/keeper is easier to trace and held accountable
2) It may reduce the number of horse thefts
3) Possible reduction in the amount of poor and indiscriminate breeding
4) It may elevate the status of horses and ponies, donkeys and mules
5) Relatively simple to include in the current horse passport system
6) The current passport asks for owner details only, despite it being common practise for horses to be kept by others
Why NOT have an Owner or keepers Licence For all Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Mules?
1) It may be too difficult to enforce
2) Owner details are currently included and yet some owners are not held accountable
3) It would add to the cost of horse ownership
Share your views here by voting and commenting
iam for anything that will keep my boy safe of at least deter people from going near my boy! may be just may be we should get a gun licence for an AK or something similarthen put notices up saying…………….. horse theft is a crime! any one cought stealing my horse will be SHOT… servivors shall be SHOT again!
there may be a chance that it will reduce the numbers keeping horses just "for the sake of it" with little regard to their welfare? we are undecided but curious about other opinions..
I don't c a point in it simpy as the honest horse owners r the ones that will be targeted and the 'dis-honest' people will carry regardless (just like the passport fiasco)
Yes
With the increase in fly grazing , theft , cruelty and neglect is there now a stronger case for owners of horses and ponies to be licenced? Share your views here by voting and commenting.
With the increase in fly grazing , theft , cruelty and neglect is there now a stronger case for owners of horses and ponies to be licenced? Share your views here by voting and commenting.
With the increase in fly grazing , theft , cruelty and neglect is there now a stronger case for owners of horses and ponies to be licenced? Share your views here by voting and commenting.
given recent publicity regarding fly grazing maybe we should implement something like they do in Ireland…
"Under the Control of Horses Act, 1996, all local authorities (city and county councils) are responsible for the control of horses in their areas. The term "horse" under the Act covers horses, donkeys, mules and hinnies (female mules).
In some parts of the country (particularly urban areas), there are problems with horses straying, roaming, causing danger on roads and being ridden without proper restraint by underage riders. In areas where these problems exist, your local authority can name the area a "Control Area". If you own a horse and keep your horse in a Control area, you must obtain a horse licence, issued by your local authority. Failure to have a horse licence in a Control Area can mean an on-the-spot fine or it could mean that your horse will be seized and impounded. If you own and keep a horse outside of a "Control Area", you do not need a horse licence".
we agree
It would be a start if Thex could make sure all horses are passsorted
fair point…wonder if the old dog licence actually helped the dogs?
Might sound like a good idea; but I'm sure it would get expensive and those who it would be aimed at stopping would more than likely ignore it altogether.
should owners of horses and ponies need to be licenced? would it help with animal welfare?
would it make any difference to the welfare of British equines? given the horror stories this week?
would it make any difference?
what do you think?