Land and horse owners told they face prosecution in crackdown

Gardaí have warned horse owners and landowners they could face prosecution as part of a crackdown on Cork’s horse population.

The warning came after 25 horses were impounded during a major operation on the city’s northside yesterday, amid concerns about grazing conditions and lack of fodder.

The authorities moved in as a follow-up to a tagging operation on animals owned by people living in the Nash’s Boreen and Hollyhill areas of the city last week. Some 13 animals, most of which are owned by members of the Traveller community, were impounded last week.

The crackdown is part of an inter-agency approach, involving gardaí and the Department of Agriculture, designed to clamp down on the city’s horse population.

The authorities have been liaising with horse owners and landowners in the city for several months, explaining EU legislation and their responsibilities and obligations under the legislation.

All the horses must be tagged and issued with passports, and where horses graze, the landowner must register the land with the department for equine use.

The gardaí and department vets moved in yesterday to examine the levels of compliance.

“Everyone is now fully aware of their responsibilities under the legislation,” Superintendent Con Cadogan said. “There will be regular inspections and untagged horses will be removed. And the onus is on landowners to register the land for equine use or face possible prosecution.”

Cllr Patricia Gosch (FG), who as chair of the joint policing committee last year led calls for this crackdown, welcomed the developments. “This is a breakthrough and signals to horse owners that the law is being enforced and that the inter-agency approach is working,” she said.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture said the operation was part of an ongoing initiative in relation to the identification, control, and welfare of horses in Cork.

“Owners will be given an opportunity to reclaim their horses, and horses will only be released on condition that owners arrange for microchipping and passporting of horses as required under equine identification legislation. Horses not reclaimed will be euthanised.”

An ISPCA audit conducted on Cork’s horse population earlier this year found that there were about 400 animals grazing on land in the city and suburbs — most of which graze on the north-western outskirts of the city.

Cork City’s Horse Forum, comprising officials from the city council, the Department of Agriculture, the ISPCA, Traveller groups, gardaí, horse owners, and Cork County Council, found there were about 187 horses grazing in this area alone last year.