COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, April 09, 2018

QUESTION NO. 8

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive  to detail the number of Horses seized by the Council in the last calendar year; will he detail how many of the horses were reclaimed and in reporting will he also make a broad statement in respect of the issue.

REPLY:

During 2017 227 horses were seized on behalf of South Dublin County Council of which 11 were rehomed and 5 were reclaimed. 

The Council engages a competent contractor for the provision and operation of the horse seizure service and horse pound facility, and as such all seized horses are taken to the horse pound facility where (if not already) they are microchipped on arrival, and examined by a veterinary practitioner.  Their veterinary practitioner assesses the horses for their suitability for rehoming during that examination. 

Details of all horses seized and impounded are published in efforts to identify the owners so that, where possible, horses may be reclaimed. Horses seized and not reclaimed by their owners within a period of five days from the date of seizure and detention the Council (or Garda Superintendent) may be disposed of by way of sale or re-homing. Horses which are unsuitable for re-homing are euthanised.  

A new rehoming policy is being finalised with this contractor engaged by South Dublin County Council and a draft policy is currently in operation. The rehoming of horses is organised by the contractor through a number of reputable horse charities.  Only charities that have a premises that is registered under the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine Equine Premises Registration (EPR) are included on the re homing list used by the contractor.

The Council also works in very close collaboration with the DSPCA and is in constant contact with the DSPCA Inspectors who monitor the welfare of horses reported to us.

Applications for reclaim are considered carefully and equines may be released to the owner or keeper of the horse only upon provision of a suite of relevant documentation to the Council, including proof of ownership, horse licence, passport, and detail on suitability of location where the horse is to be kept etc. 

The Council's (Control of Horses) Bye-Laws 2014 were adopted on 10th February 2014 and implemented with effect from 12th March 2014. These Byelaws are actively enforced and provide the Council with stronger tools to deal with issues which impact negatively on communities and animals alike, and we also administer the Control of Horses Act 1996. The provisions of the Act and the Bye-Laws are fully utilised to reduce the number of horses that are being kept unlawfully (without licence / passport) in unsuitable conditions, or in areas where their presence has an adverse effect on the community.

It is acknowledged that this Council is particularly proactive in the management of, and promotion of responsible urban horse ownership. 

The Council has developed a state of the art equine facility at Ballyowen Park for the stabling of up to 20 horses, with significant assistance from Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.  This facility is being managed by the Clondalkin Equine Club under a management licence subject to strict conditions relative to oversight / governance, application of equality legislation, membership / use of the facility, and application of strict animal welfare protection.  Animal welfare remains a priority and ongoing education and awareness forms part of the urban horse project programme.

In 2017, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, An Garda Siochana and DSPCA, SDCC also was instrumental in the establishment of the Dublin Region Horse Welfare Task Force.   Membership of this task force also includes Fettercairn Youth Horse Project, Clondalkin Equine Club, Traveller Development Group, Voluntary groups/rescue centres and Veterinary Services and the primary objective is to develop a concerted collaborative programme aimed at promoting responsible horse ownership across the Dublin region with a particular focus on the following issues:

59 horses have been seized to date in 2018 of which 8 have been rehomed and none have been reclaimed.  In terms of rehoming a number of charities are currently full which poses a challenge to South Dublin County Council's commitment to rehome as many horses as possible.