Latest news with #ControlofHorsesAct1996
The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
DSPCA calls for task force to address 'growing' horse welfare crisis in Dublin
THE DSPCA HAS said it is 'deeply shocked and horrified' by an incident where a horse drawing a trap collided with a car on a Dublin road earlier this week. The charity said the shocking incident raises 'urgent concerns about public safety and animal welfare' and called for a multi-agency task force to address 'the growing equine welfare crisis in Dublin'. Footage of the incident in Clondalkin, west Dublin shows a number of people riding horses, while others are driving traps led by horses as part of a funeral procession. One horse crashes head first into a car, after the trap driver loses control. The horse survived. Advertisement The incident has been condemned by leading animal rescue charity My Lovely Horse. Martina Kenny, who co-founded the charity, has called for a dedicated animal welfare policing unit to be established. She said that such a large number of horses and traps shouldn't be allowed on main roads and that a crackdown is needed to effectively enforce laws around the treatment of animals. In a statement today, the DSPCA described the footage of the incident as 'disturbing' and said it has left the local community 'shaken'. 'The DSPCA is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness. The video clearly shows a complete lack of care and responsibility on the part of the individual in control of the horse and sulky cart,' it said. 'This reckless behaviour not only endangered the horse's welfare but also posed a serious risk to public safety, including to the grieving family and community members attending the funeral.' 'Rise in equine welfare cases' The animal welfare organisation also said the incident highlights 'repeated breaches of several key pieces of legislation' that is 'too often ignored in Dublin and beyond', including the Road Traffic Act, the Control of Horses Act 1996 and the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. Related Reads 'Awful to watch': Outrage over video of horse and trap crashing into car on Dublin road Opinion: Is it time to put an end to carriage horses in Dublin? The DSPCA continued: 'Sadly, this is not an isolated case. The presence of horses on city streets has increased significantly in the past year, and the DSPCA has seen a rise in equine welfare cases as a result. The organisation said that many of these animals suffer due to inadequate care, training, and oversight, adding that 'it is the horses that continue to pay the price'. 'DSPCA is calling for a multi-agency task force to address the growing equine welfare crisis in Dublin. A strategic, coordinated response is needed to prevent more incidents like this taking place.' The DSPCA said it is actively investigating this incident in collaboration with Gardaí and urged anyone who witnessed it or who may have further video footage or information to come forward. 'Please contact the DSPCA Inspectorate in confidence at 01 499 4727 or email inspectors@ or the Garda Confidential Line, freephone 1800 666 111.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
22-07-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Silence is allowing animal cruelty to thrive in our towns and cities
Across Irish towns and cities, from Dublin to Limerick, Cork, Drogheda, and beyond, urban horses are suffering in silence. Tethered to railings, trees, or lampposts without water or shelter, abandoned in parks or waste ground, or running loose through traffic, these animals are not just neglected, they're being failed by a broken system. This is not rural cruelty. It's urban neglect, unfolding in social housing estates and city fringes where poverty, disconnection, and lack of enforcement intersect. But this isn't just an animal welfare crisis. It's a public safety and social justice issue, and one that demands urgent Government action. Under the Control of Horses Act 1996, local authorities can designate control areas where horses may not be kept without a licence. Most urban estates, especially in social housing, fall within these zones. To keep a horse legally, a person must: • Hold a valid licence; • Provide proper shelter, land, water, and food; • Ensure the horse is microchipped and registered with a passport. In reality, very few residents in disadvantaged communities have the resources to meet those requirements. Yet horses are still kept out of tradition, identity, or as a form of personal empowerment. The result is often heartbreaking: foals born into back gardens, horses tied to fences in blistering heat, or dumped to die in fields. Councils frequently impound these animals, and many are euthanised due to injury, illness, or being unclaimed. But this reactive cycle solves nothing and the suffering continues. To understand why this happens, you have to look beyond the rope around the horse's neck. In many cases, it's poverty, isolation, or intergenerational hardship that's holding that rope. For young people in these communities, a horse might be the only thing they feel they can control. For some families, it's a cultural tradition. For others, it's emotional survival in an environment lacking opportunity, structure, or hope. This does not excuse the cruelty but it explains the conditions. And it reveals a deeper truth: if we fix one, the other will benefit. Enforcement of animal cruelty laws is not just inconsistent, it's often absent. In Limerick, for example, fewer than 10 reports of animal cruelty were recorded in 2024, despite clear evidence of widespread suffering. This is not because cruelty is not happening, it's because people don't know how to report it, or don't believe anything will happen if they do. Without proper structures, even the best laws are meaningless. My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue is calling on the Government to establish a dedicated, Garda-led animal welfare crime unit. This unit should: • Respond quickly to cruelty reports; • Support animal seizures and prosecutions; • Coordinate with the Department of Agriculture, councils, and welfare charities; • Build public trust and increase accountability. But we also need to empower the public. That's why we're calling for a nationwide public awareness campaign, urging people to report all instances of animal cruelty — not to social media, but to An Garda Síochána, and then to the Department of Agriculture. If you witness: • A horse tethered without water, shelter or food; • A loose or injured horse or foal; • Beating, dragging, or physical abuse; • Dead or dying animals in public areas; • Animals kept in unsafe, backyard or overcrowded conditions . Report it immediately to An Garda Síochána — cruelty is a criminal offence under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013. Record the location, time, and any identifiable details. Photos or videos help, if safe to obtain. Then notify the Department of Agriculture for traceability and enforcement follow-up. Inform animal welfare groups like My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue if urgent care is needed. Silence allows cruelty to thrive. Reporting protects both animals and communities. What we're asking the Government to do: Establish a Garda-led animal welfare crime unit; Fund and launch a public information campaign encouraging cruelty reporting; Mandate cross-reporting between gardaí, the Department of Agriculture, and local authorities; Provide resources for early intervention, youth outreach, and education in high-risk areas. A tethered horse in a housing estate is more than an animal in distress, it's a mirror of the poverty, policy failure, and quiet suffering endured by many. But this can change. Support the animal, and the person behind the rope may find support too. Create a system that cares, and the cycle of cruelty will break. Protect animals, Protect people. Kerry-Anne Pollock is head of animal welfare for My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue Read More Ireland's animal welfare system is unfit for purpose and animals are suffering because of it
Irish Independent
14-05-2025
- Irish Independent
‘Heartbroken and horrified' – Garda probe launched as footage emerges of boys beating horses in Tipperary
Gardaí in Clonmel are investigating the footage which has been shared by animal welfare groups and others. It shows two to three boys apparently beating or whipping small horses or ponies in what is understood to be the Cashel road area of Clonmel. The groups have called on members of the public who witness such animal abuse to contact gardaí. Gardaí said they are aware of a video in circulation online and through direct messaging apps that depicts an incident of animal cruelty involving a horse, and which is alleged that it occurred at a location in Clonmel, Co Tipperary on Sunday, May 11. 'Efforts have been made to verify the accuracy of the time and date cited in the video, however, our enquiries remain ongoing,' said a garda spokesperson. Gardaí and Inspectors from the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) visited the location shown in the video on Tuesday afternoon, May 13, to search a number of acres of farmland. The welfare of all the animals present was checked and inspected. No alleged offences under the Animal and Welfare Act were identified during this search and there were no concerns for the welfare of the animals present. Enquiries are ongoing, added the spokesperson. Animal welfare groups have called on members of the public who witness such animal abuse to call local gardaí. On Monday, May 12, My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue said they were 'heartbroken and horrified by the footage of two ponies being viciously whipped in Clonmel just yesterday.' 'No animal should ever endure such cruelty. This is not an isolated case. We now have further witness statements and evidence pointing to ongoing abuse in the area – involving more than just horses. The incident has been reported to the gardaí. But we need your help to strengthen the case and push for real action. 'If you have any footage, photos, or information that can support justice, please send it to us as soon as possible. If you witness cruelty, record it only if safe to do so. Report it to the gardaí immediately. 'We are calling for immediate action. The time for change is now. We are their voices. We will not stop until justice is done,' added a spokesperson. Nearly 2,000 people have commented on the 19-second video clip shared by My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue. ADVERTISEMENT Independent Tipperary Cllr Liam Browne said he has spoken with gardaí, county council representatives and the ISPCA. 'All three agencies are dealing with the contents and I'm happy to allow them continue their investigations and to come to hopefully satisfactory conclusions,' said Cllr Browne. 'From my own point of view, this needs to be dealt with under a number of pieces of legislation, that is the Animal Welfare Act 2013 and the Control of Horses Act 1996. On a broader comment, I would absolutely condemn anyone who harms or abuses an animal in any way. Anyone. And any animal. 'There is no excuse for it, and personally if an investigation concludes an animal has been harmed, it should be taken, and those involved should never be allowed own or have animals again. 'This issue has arisen on a number of occasions both at district and plenary meetings of the council, and each time councillors have expressed the need for increased services to deal with animal welfare. I, and I am sure my fellow councillors, will continue to ask for these services. 'I also believe that national legislation should be changed to restrict the driving of sulkies by children. Currently it's illegal to drive an electric scooter or bike on the roads, by a person under 16 years of age, but we allow children no more than four or five to take charge of horses on busy roads. "This is a danger to the horses, road users and most importantly the children themselves. 'Culture' or 'tradition' or 'entitlement' should have no part in this conversation. It's about safety. 'National legislators need to grasp this nettle once and for all. It's time they did so. As for the current incident, please allow the proper authorities to complete their investigations,' added Cllr Browne.
