Abandoned Horses

yellowcurl

Has anyone else noticed the amount of abandoned/starving horses around since the recession went into full swing? So many around near me have just been set free on roads (in Kildare). However, some idiots have forgotten that their horses are chipped and a lot have been traced back to Waterford and the rest of the south east. It's so sad to see these horses just wasting away.

Our man in Havana

Hopefully the Gardaí will prosecute those owners for neglect.

yellowcurl

We had a pony dumped in our fields here and i rang the equine society (as we didn't have the time to look after it or try to find their owners) and they said that in Co. Kildare alone there have been tens of horses and ponies abandoned in the last month and they have nowhere to put them now. So sad as some of them will inevitably be destroyed

Our man in Havana

It is a sad state of affairs.

A horse is a high maintenance animal. Expensive to keep. With a recession people want shot of these high cost items.

Sadly not all of them will be rehomed and some will have to be destroyed.

Lauragoesmad

Yeah, since the start of this year, it is the first time in years that the only equine slaughter house in the country has had a waiting list.:(

holyshow

Out of curousity a lot of lads when i was a youngster had horses in the fields by my estate in south dublin, what happened to them? were they rehomed when they were taken off them. I remember a couple of lads in my year being very upset at the time, circa 1995.

Our man in Havana

Alot of those horses were seized by the councils and destroyed.

journo

Yellowcurl, I have tried without success to find the `equine society` which one are you referring to? I m working on a story on abandoned horses and want to make contact with someone who has had a horse/pony left on their land.

If you are in that position please contact me.

Cottage Rescue

Contact Sharon.

http://www.irishhorsewelfaretrust.org/

taylor08

the only thing i can say is stop breeding if u can! its only going to make the problem worse!!!!

Whispered

Are these horses rehomed when picked up? If so, where do I go to get more info? Is it like dogs, in that I contact a shelter, tell them what I want, have them come to check where the horse is going to be kept and make a donation, or are they sold on?

Cottage Rescue

You can ring Mick on 056 31712 or 086 8560818, he runs the Horse Pound in Urlingford.

All horses/ponies picked up in North Tipperary and above Counties including Dublin and Kildare end up in Urlingford Horse Pound where they are taken very good care of by Mick.

South Tipperary and all the way down go to Cork Horse Pound.


Sadly a lot of them this year have and will be destroyed as there are not enough homes for them and many have been dumped/abandoned and as much more have been starved to death.

taylor08

the ispca horses are fostered by ppl but are still owned by the ispca.

Horses Mouth

The numbers of abandoned horses are still on the increase and will only get worse as winter approaches, putting immense pressure on the organisations rescuing them.

For anyone thinking of getting a horse, you could consider adopting one instead if you can guarantee a good home. We can all do something to help, by offering our time or money to these organisations supporting horse welfare. Theres one horsey website trying to raise funds for various organisations www.allhorse.ie and it has lots of links to many of the animal welfare sites where you can donate directly.

We need to start helping these organisations now, because winter is going to be very tough and cruel for many horses in Ireland.

Call me Socket

The slaughter house has turned people away who turned up with horses....many of these people came back during the night and left the horse tied to the fence to be found in the morning.:(
My mother has rescued a few horses, got them back to health and condition and rehomed them. One that she took in even though she was full, was kindly taken on by Limerick Animal Welfare after mam got rid of the worms and creepy crawlies the poor thing was infested with.
You wouldn't believe the difference in her now- she looks fantastic thanks to the care and attention LAW have given her.

As Horses Mouth said....things are going to get a whole lot worse for the rescues and the horses as winter sets in. A lot of them turned out will die in the cold without rugs and feed and the benefit of weight to carry them through....

Orla K

Since I've seen this tread I've noticed two horses abandoned. One by a river which got into the green of the apartments where I live to eat grass the other on the side of a country road. In both cases there were people standing around looking puzzled, they didn't know what to do and neither did I. I'm not very fond of horses but I just don't understand why someone would do this to any animal.

monflat

of all the talk of horses been abandoned i have personally never seen any abandoned . and i do be around the country a lot may be im driving in all the wrong areas . !

when does a horse be classed as "abandoned" if you understand what im saying is it their body condition and the the living conditions they live in ? there are lots of horses out there owned by people in mucky fields this week especially that could be in "better " fields .

what would you do if a horse was abandoned near you if you had the space to keep it would you keep it? or do you have to report it and let it some one come and inspect it and the authority take it away and then re home it from them ???

surely with all the "surplus " horses in the country organisations would be happy for individuals to look after these horses or do they have to be "signed " over to the organisation and then loaned out the individual?

LauraTier

Can anybody confirm if there are abandoned starving horses at the Devil's Bit in Tipperary as I am trying to rescue these poor animals

TaraR

Its a disgrace that people are leaving their horses to defend 4 themselfs. i live in clondalkin & the dspca have counted 20 and more horses dead in the fields beside me :mad: