RSPCA is fearful of horse welfare catastrophe
THE RSPCA is warning of a horse welfare catastrophe in the South West due to coronavirus – with over 400 incidents reported during the lockdown period.
A “perfect storm” of conditions, including the end of the furlough scheme, decreased grazing and a lack of financial support for animal welfare charities could lead to an influx of sick and abandoned horses this autumn.
Nationally, the number of horses currently being cared for by the RSPCA is already three times what it was at the start of the last recession in 2009, and the charity said it is now braced for worse to come.
Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the RSPCA, said: “Equine charities fear that autumn will create the perfect storm as grazing decreases, the end of furlough and the deepening recession will see more owners struggling with costs of care leading to neglect and abandonment, yet people have been continuing to breed horses despite Covid-19.
“Alongside this, equine rescues, already reporting a sharp drop in funds, may start to go under as the financial situation bites, which will increase the burden on the RSPCA.
“We are calling on the Government to step in with financial support as they have for other charities affected by the pandemic and recognise that the services provided by the animal welfare sector are under huge strain.”
During the period between March 23 and September 8, the RSPCA dealt with a total of 417 incidents involving horses in the Westcountry. Officers in Gloucestershire responded to the most call-outs with 93, followed by Somerset (79), Cornwall (73), Dorset (71), Devon (55), Wiltshire (32) and Bristol (14).
In 2019, the RSPCA re-homed 242 horses, but almost 760 remain in its care to date. Desperately needing new homes, the charity has this week launched a month-long rehoming drive, Adoptober, and is urging people who are looking to take on a horse to think about adopting.
The appeal comes as microchipping of all horses, ponies and donkeys has been made compulsory, following a change in the law from October 1 – making it easier for local authorities and police to identify the owners of abandoned horses and punish them.
Mr Sherwood warns that the move is not enough alone to tackle irresponsible breeders and owners at the heart of the equine crisis. “When it came in for dogs, the number of strays reduced by 20% in four years, but unfortunately we just don’t think that’s going to happen for horses. Without rigorous enforcement and tougher financial penalties, there is little to stop irresponsible owners continuing to breed and dump their animals,” he said.