COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE/FIRHOUSE/BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 08, 2020

QUESTION NO. 8

QUESTION: Councillor Clare O'Byrne

To ask the manager the number of enforcement actions taken under the Control of Horses Act 1996 in the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 in Firhouse-Bohernabreena.

REPLY:

All reports of loose/stray horses which are received from elected representatives, members of the public and Council staff are considered in a timely manner and, as appropriate, are referred to the contractor engaged by the Council for the provision and operation of the horse seizure service and horse pound facility.

All seized horses are taken to the horse pound facility where they are microchipped on arrival, (if not already microchipped) and examined by a veterinary practitioner.

In accordance with the Council's Control of Horses Bye-Laws, attempts are made to trace the owners of all horses seized with a view to potential reclaim.

It should be noted that not all animals seized are suitable for rehoming. Therefore horses which are unsuitable for re-homing, or those which are 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, re-homing or animal euthanasia.

The information requested is not recorded on an electoral area basis.

The following statistics reflect activity throughout the County for the period:

Year	No. of Horses Impounded	Reclaimed by owner	Rehomed	Euthanised
2018	147	5	34	105
2019	82	4	16	64
2020	46	4	13	26