Reporting
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The reality is, that obtaining effective assistance for a horse in distress can be a very frustrating exercise, from both the point of view of the complainant, and that of the authorities. We have provided the options available below, but concerned complainants do need to follow up on their initial complaint, sometimes repeatedly, and authorities at times need to be encouraged to take any available and appropriate action.
Please read all of the following before taking action. There are many scenarios, and taking the proper steps can mean the difference between helping an animal in the long term, and putting it in jeopardy again. Remember that animal welfare investigators are EXTREMELY overloaded, so please only call then in relation to an animal after carefully considering whether it is truly a neglect situation.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND that horses can appear to be in poor condition, but may be being properly cared for. They may have a medical condition/health issue which is the cause of their poor condition, but is being monitored/treated. Take in the whole picture when determining whether a situation is of concern, and talk to the owner, if possible, before calling the authorities.
If you see a horse/s that appears to be abused/neglected, and the owner does not seem co-operative, be aware that under part 2 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986, only the following Officers are those authorised to have powers to investigate cruelty to animals; Police, D.P.I., R.S.P.C.A., and Council Officers.
Rescue groups or individuals who remove an animal without the owners consent are trespassing and stealing. Please involve proper authorities in order to protect the animal from being returned to the situation.
What Can You Do?
If you are aware of a case of abuse or neglect, the first and best option, where possible, is owner education, or a cooperative owner that is agreeable to surrendering the horse/s. If an owner cares, but is short on money, the best option is to try to assist the owner in finding a solution to the situation. Provide them with all the referrals that you can in order that they may obtain assistance, and possibly even assist the owner in finding the horse/s another home. If possible, try to approach the owner and ask if you can help in any way. Do not put the owner on the defensive by saying that they are abusing or neglecting their animal....this will make the situation worse.
Do not approach an owner if you feel your well-being might be threatened.
If the owner is willing to be assisted, provide them with contact details of welfare groups in their area, the RSPCA, and any information or assistance that you can personally offer.
If the owner shows a pattern of abuse/neglect, with multiple animals involved, contact the above authorities IMMEDIATELY, and do not approach the owner.
DO NOT feed, doctor or otherwise interact with the animal if the situation is such that you feel obliged to report it to the authorities. This hinders their assessment of the true circumstances of the horse's living conditions, and could possibly hinder the ability of the authorities to deal with it in a proactive manner. Doing so may also open you up to trespassing charges and possible liabilities that will not help the situation.
If making a report to authorities, it can be very helpful to provide photographs of the equine/s of concern as perceptions of 'condition' can vary. If you can manage some photos without entering the property and without putting yourself at risk of harm, please do so.
The Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses is a very comprehensive and well thought out document. Its contents may be of use in educating an owner, or those new to horse ownership.
Remember that your ultimate goal is the well-being of the animal, and that the best way to achieve that is to either gain the co-operation of the owner to remove the animal, to help the owner get resources for the animal, or to involve the authorities if you feel it is a dangerous situation.
There is a known pattern of animal abuse with other forms of violence against people, so be cautious when getting involved, and defer to authorities who are experts if you feel there is any danger to yourself or an animal.
To enable an accurate description of the condition of a horse/s to authorities, please refer to the standard:
| File | File size | Last modified |
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 Condition Scoring & Weight Estimation of Horses | 206 Kb | 03/06/10 08:24 |
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