cuffey
Olympic Poster
Posts: 962
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Post by cuffey on Jan 1, 2009 19:24:22 GMT 1
My MP is high up in the order to present a Private Members Bill this year.
So far he has not chosen a topic but is being lobbied by many groups.
We are a rural area so animal welfare would be suitable.
My concerns are importing serious diseases eg African Horse Sickness because checks at ports are minimal and even then paperwork may be incomplete, all countries an animal has passed through should be listed
We have seen farmers in 2008 importing livestock carrying the Blue Tongue virus
How can these risks be reduced?
Any sensible ideas for a Private Members Bill please
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potto
Grand Prix Poster
Advanced Poster
I have a large spotty and the privilage once of the most beautiful big Ass!
Posts: 1,384
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Post by potto on Jan 1, 2009 19:59:07 GMT 1
Actually i would like to see that The animal Welfare laws that are already in place are actually taken more seriously. For example Defra and the Five Freedoms..... and owner responsibility and Neglect.
It Does seem apparent that horses and other animals are allowed to live continuously in neglectful circumstances.. even when their is knowledge of offences and witness's. However evidence is needed for example the dead bodies.. prior to removal (or permission from the owner for autopsy). If bodies disappear... their is no longer evidence of neglect.... hence no problem....
I would like to see better systems for ensuring the welfare and care of these animals, by owners having to provide proof of care,finance, and horses having regular weight, health, check ups if deemed a concern or had a certain amount of referrals within a community, assisted by the relevent trained organisation to ensure that all needs are met, education is taken on board and that neglect is not ongoing, circumstances are improving etc etc...
I would also think it is a great shame that so many riding schools have closed down... It is a great loss... leading to a mass of ' horse ownership ' problems and horses being passed around..
I really think that making it easier for people to start up riding schools again would be a great advantage for horses welfare in general.. and people..., children and adults learn't how to ride and care for ponies and get experience of ownership before landing in at the deep end. Lots of people are now buying ponies in isolation without the support of instructors or onhand advice to help with hiccups... or with the experience of a good school master pony to start with.....
People have bought their own ponies, then found they are not suitable and sold them on.. which in turn does not help the pony or their own self esteem in learning to ride and care for horses..
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Post by wabuska on Jan 1, 2009 20:20:13 GMT 1
I would make obesity in horses- neglect.
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Post by peppertop on Jan 1, 2009 20:25:40 GMT 1
After being on a yard today where mares and foals and a stallion are kept in 24/7 and another big livery where horses are in over winter for at least 6 months of the year, I would love to see this be made illegal.
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Post by cbc on Jan 1, 2009 20:31:34 GMT 1
Biosecurity tightened up, not just for horses, as you say Cuffey. The last but one outbreak of FMD was I think (so could be wrong) was linked to illegal meat? Otherwise protection of riding schools in some way for the simple reason that the education they provided is not there in so many cases, and horses are suffering as a result.  |
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Post by jakeandbarneysmum on Jan 1, 2009 21:09:55 GMT 1
What about the strict liability of owners for the actions of their animals. (If someone cuts your fencing and lets your horses out and they cause a road accident YOU as the owner are strictly liable). I think someone tried to tackle this last year but the bill ran out of time. The cost of insurance as a result is one of the factors that's making life very difficult for riding schools.
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Post by sooty on Jan 1, 2009 23:15:14 GMT 1
After being on a yard today where mares and foals and a stallion are kept in 24/7 and another big livery where horses are in over winter for at least 6 months of the year, I would love to see this be made illegal. Seconded!!!! |
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Post by morwenstowstud on Jan 1, 2009 23:32:26 GMT 1
I would like to see an owners license for stallion keeping. A minimum level of competence test before you can keep an entire as well as showing you have the right facilities. This would stop people keeping ponies entire because they're too tight to pay for gelding, and would also cut down on a degree of indescriminate breeding as the number of colts kept would be reduced. It would mean that 'Fred' and 'Freda' with the little colt foal that grew into a stallion wouldn't be kept entire, and would mean that he wasn't breeding every year with the little filly they thought he'd like for company.
I would also like to see compulsary grading for all breeding horses, regardless of what breed, as well as a national grading standard rather than each society having their own standard.
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Post by peppertop on Jan 1, 2009 23:33:33 GMT 1
I came home and looked at my two dogs laid on their bed and realised these poor horses are in the equivalent. If I put a cage over my dogs on that size bed and never let them out I would be done for cruelty surely.
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Post by donnalex on Jan 1, 2009 23:39:46 GMT 1
All animals should be closely checked upon at least once a day. Anyone in doubt should have to prove they do a daily check. That way no leeway should be given for ignorance of an animals condition.
There are sheep wandering around here whose 'owners' have not seen them for over a year yet they are owned enough to be classed as stolen if you touch them.
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Post by circusdancer on Jan 1, 2009 23:42:11 GMT 1
Tougher sentencing for law breakers! Six months max, with time off for good behaviour, or whatever, is neither here nor there and doesn't act as a deterrant!
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Post by morwenstowstud on Jan 2, 2009 0:07:06 GMT 1
Yes, tougher sentencing and tighten up the loopholes. At present someone with an animal keeping ban can still keep animals as long as they say they belong to a family member.
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Post by jadehollinshead on Jan 2, 2009 0:21:19 GMT 1
can i suggest... all equine owners who use the roads for hacking, have to pass a road safety test, to be allowed to legally use the road. i see too many of our own horse owning kind, mis-using the road and being the cause of accidents, and not respecting car drivers properly. I have suggested this idea to a few people recently and all gave positive remarks. After all Road safety is paramount when hacking, and we cannot blame cars for all of the accidents on the roads between car and horse.
i know its not exactly horse welfare but its something i believe in a lot, other than that...
Marley came over from ireland, without his passport? it has baffled me so much as to how he got into the country, he now has another passport as the previous owners never sent our friends the passport.
so better security checks please.
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Post by morwenstowstud on Jan 2, 2009 0:43:10 GMT 1
Marley came over from ireland, without his passport? it has baffled me so much as to how he got into the country, he now has another passport as the previous owners never sent our friends the passport. so better security checks please. Makes a total mockery of the 'one horse, one passport' rule doesn't it? |
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Post by mags on Jan 2, 2009 1:43:11 GMT 1
Marley came over from ireland, without his passport? it has baffled me so much as to how he got into the country, he now has another passport as the previous owners never sent our friends the passport.
so better security checks please.
Makes a total mockery of the 'one horse, one passport' rule doesn't it?
Looks like Jack came from melton sales with no passport. How can that happen? I woud like to see all horses having to have the once a year vet check that riding schools have. They have it to put the horses where I have Dan and hopefully jack soon....you not allowed there without a vet certificate and I think its a great idea |
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