Your premises must be registered for equines

New legislation requires owners or persons in charge of any premises in which horses or other equines (such as donkeys, ponies etc) are kept to register their premises with the Department of Agriculture.

Up to now, only premises where cattle, sheep, pigs or poultry are kept had to be registered.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said the purpose of registration is to ensure that the Department can advise owners quickly in the event of a contagious disease outbreak, and quickly implement disease control measures.

This new legislation complements the recently enforced EU requirement that horses, ponies and donkeys born after Jul 1, 2009, have passports containing a corresponding microchip/transponder and a universal equine life number (UELN).

It includes a requirement to keep records.

For example, any premises where horses are kept temporarily (studs, shows, sales, farriers, vets etc) must record the date, UELN, name, address and the premises of origin, and ID of the animals brought onto their premises. At other premises, permanent movements on or off the premises must be recorded.

Application forms on which to register equines may be obtained directly from the department’s offices, or from the animal health and welfare section of thewww.agriculture.gov.ie website.

From May 1, it will be against the law to keep a horse or other equine on a premises not registered with the department.