Horses starving to death in a country that fails Gandhi’s morality test

HAVING returned to Ireland after several decades, I’m appalled at the neglect and abuse of so many horses here.

During the years of the ostentatious lifestyles spawned by the Celtic Tiger, buying a share in a horse was another step up the status ladder.

Many of these wannabe horse-owners now find themselves unable to afford to feed for the animals.

The fate of these unwanted horses is death by starvation.

Throughout this country there are hundreds of horses seriously neglected and, thanks to ineffective and outdated legalisation, nothing will be done to try and save them.

Anyone who cares about horses should visit the Smithfield horse fair in Dublin and see for themselves the neglected state of many of the animals for sale, some of them for a few euro. Dublin City Council is ineffective in its efforts to try and put an end to this horse trading.

The Government’s response is consistent with its interest in animal welfare: “Do nothing, don’t care, animals don’t vote”. Having spent many years in mainland Europe I saw how progressive they are in their treatment of animals.

Observing the general lack of care and compassion for the animals here brings to mind Gandhi’s observation that “a nation’s moral progress can be judged by how it treats its animals”.

There’s no doubt that the Irish have sadly regressed in this area.

Kieran O’Neill

Rathmines

Dublin 6