Registering your equine animals

EQUINE animals born in or imported into the European Union are required to be identified in accordance with Equine Identification Legislation.

This responsibility lies solely with the keeper of the equine. Farmers who keep horses and donkeys to qualify for areas of natural constraint scheme must have animals identified and their premises registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

For Equine identification engage a Veterinary Practitioner to complete an official marking chart and to implant a micro-chip into the neck area of the animal. Then submit the completed marking chart and details of the micro-chip in an application form to an approved equine passport-issuing organisation (PIO) to apply for a passport in respect of that animal.

Examples of PIO include Connemara Pony Breeders Society Ltd and Kerry Bog Pony Co-Operative Society.

Equine must be identified and issued with a passport no later than 12 months from their date of birth. So to ensure that the 12-month deadline can be met you must submit a completed application form for a passport not later than six months from the date of the animals birth.

An equine animal cannot be moved or sold unless it is accompanied by its equine passport. Farmers with adult horses that have never been registered should contact one of the approved passport issuing bodies and seek to identify and microchip the horse immediately.

The issued passport contains a unique lifetime identification number which corresponds with the number on the micro-chip implanted in the equine by the Veterinary Surgeon. If an equine passport is lost, the animal’s identity can be established by reference to the micro-chip and the passport issuing organisation will issue a duplicate passport.

Any premises with or without land which equine are kept must apply to the Department of Agriculture to have their premises registered.

This enables the department to have information on the location of horses and their contacts with other horses in order that in the event of a disease outbreak, owners can be identified and advised of any necessary precautions. All registered premises must have a nominated keeper and upon registration an equine premises number called a herd number will be issued to the applicant. Holdings that are already registered to keep cattle and/or sheep/goats will have their registration amended to include horses.

Registration is free of charge and if you don’t register your premises, you will not be able to register your horse or obtain a passport.

Registered Farmers must keep records of the equines on the premises and the movement of equines on and off the premises. In the transfer of ownership of a horse, the person selling the horse must give the horse passport to the buyer/new owner at the time of sale and complete and sign the ‘seller’ section of an official declaration form if required to do so by the passport issuing organisation. Equally the buyer must receive the horse passport and complete the ‘new owner’ section of the official declaration form.

A lot to take in there, if unsure about any aspect to contact your advisor for support. It is important to remain up to date with equine identification and registration of premises legislation as it is your contribution to protecting the national equine herd.