Foal killed in Galway

Discodog · 22-06-2014 5:59pm

PLUG71 wrote: »

Its funny how when posters have their say and then get the hump when somebody comes up with arguments or different points.:D

I think that it's really sad when people take an important thread about the agonising death of an animal & turn into a tit for tat personal argument.

Dan_Solo · 22-06-2014 6:03pm

Discodog wrote: »

I think that it's really sad when people take an important thread about the agonising death of an animal & turn into a tit for tat personal argument.

That's strange because there hasn't been a single post moderated here for personal abuse
I for one have no problem sticking to discussing the facts. As I have here also.

PLUG71 · 22-06-2014 6:44pm

Discodog wrote: »

I think that it's really sad when people take an important thread about the agonising death of an animal & turn into a tit for tat personal argument.

Why quote me?

I merely made an observation.

bobbyss · 22-06-2014 8:04pm

The issue at hand.

It must be a lack of interest, a lack of will, a lack of leadership that has resulted in our total failure to deal with animal rights. Sadly, there are not enough voted for animal rights. Yet there ia a huge consensus of outrage. I recall bread stuffed with a fire cracker fed to swans in Dublin and other terrible animal cruelty cases.

Is it known who is responsible for this? If it is known who is responsible for the death of the foal, why oh why are prosecutions not following?

Where does the buck stop?

Discodog · 22-06-2014 8:19pm

bobbyss wrote: »

The issue at hand.

It must be a lack of interest, a lack of will, a lack of leadership that has resulted in our total failure to deal with animal rights. Sadly, there are not enough voted for animal rights. Yet there ia a huge consensual of outrage. I recall bread stuffed with a fire cracker fed to swans in Dublin and other terrible animal cruelty cases.

Is it known who is responsible for this? If it is known who is responsible for the death of the foal, why oh why are prosecutions not following?

Where does the buck stop?

The Greens took a lot of stick for introducing the Bill to regulate dog breeding. People accused them of putting animals ahead of people.

bobbyss · 22-06-2014 8:32pm

Discodog wrote: »

The Greens took a lot of stick for introducing the Bill to regulate dog breeding. People accused them of putting animals ahead of people.

I did not notice anything in the literature from candidates at local elections re animal rights. To be honest, it was an issue at that time not high up in my agenda - it is only when cases come to the fore that we become engaged.

I think Terri O'Flaherty (is that her name? she is I think from Mervue) is one of the few politicians who are engaged with this issue. I recall her on radio last year being outraged re another cruel horse case in Ballybane. What struck me then was that here was an experienced politician who knows the ways and means of things and yet even she sounded frustrated with the inability for the different bodies to act.

Discodog · 22-06-2014 8:40pm

The only body that needs to act are the Gardai. The law exists & it makes it a criminal offence to subject an animal to "unnecessary suffering or distress".

The new Animal Welfare Act provides further protection but again it is dependant on the Gardai to enforce it.

22-06-2014 9:48pm

Didn't hear of anyone getting arrested for this?

I'd imagine it's well known who did it

Discodog · 22-06-2014 9:52pm

Someone put a horse in a field near me & it's clearly unwell. It was left with no water.

It should be a legal requirement to put a name & phone number on the gate.

TristanPeter · 23-06-2014 8:40am

The Gardai should have immediately acted on this and on any other cases of animal abuse which are reported to them. From my own experience this has never happened, they just turn a blind eye to it. Is it permitted for a member of the public to inquire as to what the Gardai have done about this to date does anyone know?

To get any traction here, we have to ensure the Council are acting in the people's interests by (a) preventing future occurrences by enforcing existing laws and (b) ensuring the cases of abuse are followed through on in terms of prosecution. This has to be a joint Council/Gardai effort. This happened on council-owned land. If the Gardai are not doing their job, the Council should be asking very serious questions of the Gardai. If the Council are not doing their jobs, the people who elected them have to ask the questions of the Council.

By the way, I bet offering a reward for information as to who did this (based on a prosecution of course) would get results. I don't care what reasons they had for doing this as long as they are punished for it so a message is sent out loud and clear that this will not be tolerated.

Still working on petition so will update asap.

TristanPeter · 23-06-2014 11:54am

I am just about to create a petition on the Care2 petition site about this. Wanted to run it by whomever may be concerned on here before I publish it. This has to reflect the sentiment of more than just one individual so if you think this is inaccurate let me know asap. I want to do this before it all blows over and is forgotten about until the next inevitable episode. I will publish it after 2pm so as to allow time for feedback, and I would expect anyone who has voiced their opinion on this issue in this thread to date would sign it

Title
Demand Galway City Council together with the Gardai enforce exiting Animal Welfare/Protection laws with respect to chronic animal (especially equine) abuse in Galway City, ban sulkies on all public roads, and bring to prosecution those who illegally engage in, or have engaged in, the abuse of animals in the city environs.

Who Do you want to Petition?
Galway City Council and the Superintendent of An Garda Síochána, Galway City.

Why should people sign this?
Animals, particularly horses and dogs, are being horribly and illegally abused in Galway City, often on council-owned lands as was the case this month on the east of the city when a young foal was beaten to death by a group of youths.

Perpetrators of these crimes are not being punished despite the existence of animal welfare and protection laws being in place. The City Council and the Gardai continue to allow this abuse to happen by turning a blind eye, ignoring this chronic problem. Owners of these animals continue to be allowed to keep them on council-lands, including the back gardens of council houses. Laws requiring horse owners to have a “passport” and a microchip are not being enforced. Many of these horses are being bred for sulky racing purposes. Please help to ban this completely unregulated practice and in turn help save many of these defenceless animals from further abuse.

Help put an end to animal abuse now by demanding Galway City Council and the Gardai together take action, enforce current laws and prosecute the perpetrators of these horrible crimes. Do not facilitate further abuse by allowing the Council and the Gardai to look the other way.

As citizens of this wonderful city, we have to also ask ourselves, how does this kind of animal abuse reflect on all of us if we continue to allow a small minority to commit these crimes again and again and never be held accountable or be punished?!

Demand to see a public statement issued jointly by the Council/Gardai outlining what practical steps will be taken to a) punish these particular youth criminals (and any other perpetrators involved) and b) demand to know what will be done about enforcing the horse/animal laws to prevent future occurrences.

Galway City Council are there to serve the people of Galway City and the Gardai are there to enforce the law. Make them do their jobs! Do not allow them to allow a small minority to continue to abuse animals in any way.

Dan_Solo · 23-06-2014 12:05pm

TristanPeter wrote: »

Title
Demand Galway City Council together with the Gardai enforce exiting Animal Welfare/Protection laws with respect to chronic animal (especially equine) abuse in Galway City, ban sulkies on all public roads, and bring to prosecution those who illegally engage in, or have engaged in, the abuse of animals in the city environs.

While not abuse in itself, is keeping your livestock on public property i.e. green areas, sports pitches etc., not also illegal? These horses should be removed immediately whether in poor condition or not.

TristanPeter · 23-06-2014 12:08pm

Dan_Solo wrote: »

While not abuse in itself, is keeping your livestock on public property i.e. green areas, sports pitches etc., not also illegal? These horses should be removed immediately whether in poor condition or not.

Good point!

Demand Galway City Council together with the Gardai enforce exiting Animal Welfare/Protection laws with respect to chronic animal (especially equine) abuse in Galway City, ban sulkies on all public roads, bring to prosecution those who have illegally engaged in, or have engaged in, the abuse of animals in the city environs, and uphold city by-laws which do not allow animals to be kept on public property.

Dan_Solo · 23-06-2014 12:12pm

Thanks. I just think these things are intimately linked. If someone has no proper facilities to care for a large animal abuse is inevitable. Why wait for the inevitable?

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 1:27pm

TristanPeter wrote: »

I am just about to create a petition on the Care2 petition site about this. Wanted to run it by whomever may be concerned on here before I publish it. This has to reflect the sentiment of more than just one individual so if you think this is inaccurate let me know asap. I want to do this before it all blows over and is forgotten about until the next inevitable episode. I will publish it after 2pm so as to allow time for feedback, and I would expect anyone who has voiced their opinion on this issue in this thread to date would sign it

Title
Demand Galway City Council together with the Gardai enforce exiting Animal Welfare/Protection laws with respect to chronic animal (especially equine) abuse in Galway City, ban sulkies on all public roads, and bring to prosecution those who illegally engage in, or have engaged in, the abuse of animals in the city environs.

Who Do you want to Petition?
Galway City Council and the Superintendent of An Garda Síochána, Galway City.

Why should people sign this?
Animals, particularly horses and dogs, are being horribly and illegally abused in Galway City, often on council-owned lands as was the case this month on the east of the city when a young foal was beaten to death by a group of youths.

Perpetrators of these crimes are not being punished despite the existence of animal welfare and protection laws being in place. The City Council and the Gardai continue to allow this abuse to happen by turning a blind eye, ignoring this chronic problem. Owners of these animals continue to be allowed to keep them on council-lands, including the back gardens of council houses. Laws requiring horse owners to have a “passport” and a microchip are not being enforced. Many of these horses are being bred for sulky racing purposes. Please help to ban this completely unregulated practice and in turn help save many of these defenceless animals from further abuse.

Help put an end to animal abuse now by demanding Galway City Council and the Gardai together take action, enforce current laws and prosecute the perpetrators of these horrible crimes. Do not facilitate further abuse by allowing the Council and the Gardai to look the other way.

As citizens of this wonderful city, we have to also ask ourselves, how does this kind of animal abuse reflect on all of us if we continue to allow a small minority to commit these crimes again and again and never be held accountable or be punished?!

Demand to see a public statement issued jointly by the Council/Gardai outlining what practical steps will be taken to a) punish these particular youth criminals (and any other perpetrators involved) and b) demand to know what will be done about enforcing the horse/animal laws to prevent future occurrences.

Galway City Council are there to serve the people of Galway City and the Gardai are there to enforce the law. Make them do their jobs! Do not allow them to allow a small minority to continue to abuse animals in any way.

Good work. I had the wording drafted up for an online petition but only getting to sit down to the computer now to look at it properly. My head is absolutely melted, between phone calls and typing letters to council members this afternoon. Awaiting the gardai also.

I had more run-ins with these absolute scumbugs at the weekend. More horses running free on the roads. More horses being brought in to their back gardens. THIS HAS TO STOP.

JillyQ · 23-06-2014 1:39pm

galwaygirl08 wrote: »

Good work. I had the wording drafted up for an online petition but only getting to sit down to the computer now to look at it properly. My head is absolutely melted, between phone calls and typing letters to council members this afternoon. Awaiting the gardai also.

I had more run-ins with these absolute scumbugs at the weekend. More horses running free on the roads. More horses being brought in to their back gardens. THIS HAS TO STOP.

Where can we sign the petition. Also the more people that report loose horses to Gardai the better. Is there any way that this thread could be linked to Equestrian form?

TristanPeter · 23-06-2014 1:50pm

Hi JillyQ, I will add the petition in the next half hour or so as I wanted to give some time for feedback from fellow Boardsies here regarding what I had put together. I want to be pretty sure it is to the point and representative of how others feel about this issue...otherwise it's just me ranting.

It would be great to link to the Equestrian forum as the greater the exposure the better. This petition will need critical mass or it's useless.

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 1:58pm

JillyQ wrote: »

Where can we sign the petition. Also the more people that report loose horses to Gardai the better. Is there any way that this thread could be linked to Equestrian form?

Yes we need to keep lots of pressure on the council and the gardai. Any issues you have with regards to the horses please keep phoning and emailing. The council can be contacted day or night and all calls are logged. I am tired contacting them so we need strength in numbers at this stage, please EVERYONE contact them to voice your complaints.

Email them, or call 091 536400 and ask for the housing department.

When phoning the gardai please keep note of the guard you were speaking to and day/time etc.

Lets keep the pressure on guys.

inisboffin · 23-06-2014 2:19pm

Thanks for that the petition is well put together.
My feedback: I personally would keep to the issue of animal abuse and being kept in unsafe/hostile areas separate to the issue of Sulkie racing and breeding. I do think the issues have crossover but the primary concern is the mistreatment of animals. I also think you will get more people to sign if you keep them separate.

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 2:23pm

inisboffin wrote: »

Thanks for that the petition is well put together.
My feedback: I personally would keep to the issue of animal abuse and being kept in unsafe/hostile areas separate to the issue of Sulkie racing and breeding. I do think the issues have crossover but the primary concern is the mistreatment of animals. I also think you will get more people to sign if you keep them separate.

Agreed. I do think the issues should be kept separate.
I feel the major issue we have here stems from horses being allowed in residential areas. As stated before, I want an outright ban on this.

Roquentin · 23-06-2014 2:49pm

Hi

Just found this

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/684/384/393/punish-the-youths-who-beat-and-burnt-a-2-week-old-foal-to-death-and-tortured-its-mother/

Sent it out to everyone

Tranceypoo · 23-06-2014 3:12pm

Roquentin wrote: »

Hi

Just found this

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/684/384/393/punish-the-youths-who-beat-and-burnt-a-2-week-old-foal-to-death-and-tortured-its-mother/

Sent it out to everyone

I just signed this and shared it on my Facebook page, not sure if it can be copied to the A&PI forum, perhaps Mods could let me know?

TristanPeter · 23-06-2014 3:20pm

Oh cool Roquentin!

This is the link to the one I created specifically for Galway City Council/ Gardai:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/675/147/288/#sign

Please sign everyone and get this noticed.

thegreatgonzo · 23-06-2014 4:29pm

TristanPeter wrote: »

Oh cool Roquentin!

This is the link to the one I created specifically for Galway City Council/ Gardai:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/675/147/288/#sign

Please sign everyone and get this noticed.

Signed and shared with a horse charity who hopefully will get their members to sign too:-)

ScumLord · 23-06-2014 4:54pm

I'd agree that keeping any reference to any particular groups (or their activities) out of the petition would be best. Mentioning anything specific could only lead to crys of discrimination misdirecting people away from the point of the petition.

TristanPeter wrote: »

Oh cool Roquentin!

This is the link to the one I created specifically for Galway City Council/ Gardai:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/675/147/288/#sign

Please sign everyone and get this noticed.

Promotion is the next and possibly most important step. Get it under the noses of as many important people as you can.

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 5:10pm

Looks good @TristanPeter.

Roquentin · 23-06-2014 5:51pm

galwaygirl08 wrote: »

Looks good @TristanPeter.

If you set up a facebook page as well with links to the petition, it may go viral

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 5:54pm

Roquentin wrote: »

If you set up a facebook page as well with links to the petition, it may go viral

Just setting it up here now. Will post link as soon as its finished. Lets do this guys!! Fingers crossed it will go viral

meoklmrk91 · 23-06-2014 6:51pm

Fair play you guys, well done for expecting more of those that govern and run your city, I really hope you get a result.

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 7:23pm

I have the facebook page ready to go but I cant post the link on here as I am a new user to boards??

I need a profile pic also for the facebook page, in order to make it a little more eye-catching so any input is much appreciated.

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 8:01pm

Ban horses from our residential areas in Galway City is the facebook page. Someone might help me out by posting the direct link on here. Thanks.

TristanPeter · 23-06-2014 8:15pm

Thanks galwaygirl for setting the FB page up. I can't view it myself as I don't have an account but hopefully someone will be good enough to post the link here, if Mods allow.

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 8:20pm

TristanPeter wrote: »

Thanks galwaygirl for setting the FB page up. I can't view it myself as I don't have an account but hopefully someone will be good enough to post the link here, if Mods allow.

That's our bit done for today

Have shared the petition also.

Roquentin · 23-06-2014 10:55pm

https://www.facebook.com/vanah.horses/photos/a.172431009475921.48044.170577236327965/754263904625959/?type=1

this is another link

Roquentin · 23-06-2014 10:57pm

I think we should as well inundate the politicians and Councillors with letters. i will be writing a letter to someone anyhow.

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 11:13pm

Roquentin wrote: »

I think we should as well inundate the politicians and Councillors with letters. i will be writing a letter to someone anyhow.

Yes definitely. I am urging everyone to phone the council/write each Councillor a letter. I want to keep the pressure on. I posted the phone number earlier-091 536400. Calls are taken both day and night.

Roquentin · 23-06-2014 11:20pm

galwaygirl08 wrote: »

Yes definitely. I am urging everyone to phone the council/write each Councillor a letter. I want to keep the pressure on. I posted the phone number earlier-091 536400. Calls are taken both day and night.

I think we have to put pressure on simon coveney with regards the regulation and prosecution of animal abusers.

The best method to minimize this stuff is to criminalize it harshly.

Da Shins Kelly · 23-06-2014 11:20pm

Is the above number a number for the council? I'm back in Mayo with my parents, so I haven't been around Galway to report loose horses. Is there an email address or anything that I could email someone with a complaint? Have the gardaí said anything about this or has anyone been talking to them?

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 11:27pm

Yes that number is for the Galway City Council. There is an email address but as I was saying earlier I cant post it as I am a new user on boards? It wont allow me post links to the facebook page either.

Da Shins Kelly · 23-06-2014 11:31pm

Is this the email address? This is what I found on galwaycity.ie. It's for 'customer service'.

customerservice@galwaycity.ie

Roquentin · 23-06-2014 11:33pm

galwaygirl08 wrote: »

Yes that number is for the Galway City Council. There is an email address but as I was saying earlier I cant post it as I am a new user on boards? It wont allow me post links to the facebook page either.

just post it with the letters spaced out or something. or get rid of the www./.ie

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 11:34pm

A city Councillor sent me on this one 'housing at galwaycity.ie'. Sorry I cant post it correctly as it wont allow me. I have often emailed that email address u have given above also so either will do.

Roquentin · 23-06-2014 11:35pm

galwaygirl08 wrote: »

A city Councillor sent me on this one 'housing at galwaycity.ie'. Sorry I cant post it correctly as it wont allow me.

housing@galwaycity.ie

is it?

Da Shins Kelly · 23-06-2014 11:37pm

housing@galwaycity.ie

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 11:42pm

Yep thats the one I was given. I have often used the one u posted too @ Da Shins Kelly.

Da Shins Kelly · 23-06-2014 11:44pm

Cool. I'll send on an email in the morning to them.

I want to know what the Guards are doing too, if anything. Has there been any movement or word from them on this at all?

galwaygirl08 · 23-06-2014 11:56pm

I'm sick of the whole thing at this stage. I have literally been driven to tears with frustration. I cant live looking at these good for nothings for much longer. They have our area destroyed and these poor animals-I feel for them so badly. I have sent emails to Cllrs. I also rang the gardai Fri evening as names were starting to circulate as to who carried out this horrific attack, and I wanted to see had they any update on the case. Would you believe the guards were to phone me back once they looked up their system and surprisingly no call since. I rang the council today, and left a message for a tenant liaison officer-she hasn't returned my call either. There is a horse being kept in a back garden and it is so sickening to see. Its just one issue on top of another.
There is no update coming from anyone. The guards and the council will continue to do as they have done all along. Absolutely nothing.

Da Shins Kelly · 24-06-2014 1:19am

It's this lack of action that is the real problem. It's completely unbelievable that anyone can get away with doing something like that to an animal in full view of witnesses and in a residential area and for nothing to be done about, not so much as anyone even being arrested. It's the same reason stuff like this will happen again. If sh*tty people think they can get away with sh*tty behaviour, they'll go ahead and do it. The guards are useless and completely spineless when dealing with travellers.

TristanPeter · 24-06-2014 9:35am

I have been trying to figure out how to continue with this now that the petition is up and running. This is what I have come up with it so far:

1) Allow the petition to continue to run and accumulate signatures, even in the background.
2) Ensure the targets of the petition i.e. the City Council and the Superintendent are fully aware of its existence ASAP possibly by emailing the link directly to them. Every council member should have a publicly available email address and I think the Superintendent should definitely have some direct (or indirect) line of contact.
3) Ensure local media, and any other impacted/influential bodies (tourism, local businesses, resident's associations, property management companies, schools etc.) are aware of the petition too so the targets cannot hide/ignore its existence and the sentiment of the public in large surrounding this.
4) Once it is clear the petition targets are fully aware, give them a deadline to stage a public hearing in the city council buildings so they can provide full details of the answers to the questions put to them in the petition, and so it can be attended by anyone concerned by this matter.
5) If they do not do this I would argue they are not fulfilling the duties of their office by refusing to act on what a majority of citizens want, and then this can be taken further.

This is just what I think should be done.

By the way, I wonder what role do vets play in all this? I'm pretty sure many of these horses never receive basic veterinary care but I would think when they do, vets would be reviewing details of the owners/horses such as passport info and microchip compliance etc. Just curious as to whether vets are reporting on illegal activity they come across.

Dan_Solo · 24-06-2014 9:45am

TristanPeter wrote: »

By the way, I wonder what role do vets play in all this? I'm pretty sure many of these horses never receive basic veterinary care but I would think when they do, vets would be reviewing details of the owners/horses such as passport info and microchip compliance etc. Just curious as to whether vets are reporting on illegal activity they come across.

Somebody else may know the (most likely ignored) law on this, but is there a requirement for livestock owners to have their animals registered with a vet of some sort?

Foal killed in Galway

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