What actually happens to stray/abandoned horses?

Tranceypoo

Yesterday I saw 3 horses as I was out walking the younger mutt, they were in around the farmyard of an auld fella, I always talk to him if he's out when I pass but he wasn't around, I sort of thought, maybe he's bought some horses and didn't think too much about it, meant to mention it to the husband when I got home but forgot.

So this afternoon husband just phoned me to tell me to call the gspca as these same 3 horses were out on the main rd, he managed to get them in around the local community centre and hopefully they will stay there. After much calling around - gspca message inbox full, called another number I had from before, was told call the guards etc, after being forwarded to various garda stations, eventually got someone who said they would send some guards out to the horses.

So I'm wondering, what do they actually do with them, I mean it's not like picking up stray dogs is it, 3 horses so they'll need 3 horse boxes, I guess I'm presuming they take them to the horse pound (which I only recently found out exists - yes naive!!) and then do they give them 5 days and then try and rehome or pts?

Husband says the poor horses are in a bad way, covered in ticks and fleas and skinny when you see them up close.

Very upsetting really.

time lord

With the 2 local authorities I work for yes they are impounded by us. The time they are kept varies from pound to pound. If they are unclaimed or not rehormed they are disposed off. Details are not nice so i'll skip that. Think we processed over 120 last year. If we are seizing we operate at night mostly.
We sometimes use outside people as in talking a herd but at €800 per horse we try to do as much as we can ourselves. Some good scars to prove it too lol.

Tranceypoo

Thanks for that timelord, just out of interest, how much time do they get before being pts? Also if they are in a bad way physically is that taken into account (as in being put out of their misery sooner)?

time lord

Believe it or not the time frame is not really legislated for. We would at a minimum keep a horse 5 days. If they need a vets help they will get it pronto. Very sad when they are pregnant and they are not claimed. Can not give them away for love nor money at present.
Our dog and horse pound are beside each other. When both are full and horses and dogs are being "destroyed" left right and centre it's hard not to berate those responsible when you meet them. Thank God the horse pound is empty today, gives time to catch up .

anniehoo

Tranceypoo this is a very good organisation that has been set up to try and tackle the mountain of a problem that is horse welfare in Ireland.Some really useful info on their site. Im not sure if im allowed link to it though...anyway its purely for information purposes.

<modsnip>

Graces7

There was a pets corner at our local market last week with a lovely donkey. It emerged that it belonged to a local shopkeeper who had taken in in when it was being neglected. If we had land....

He also has two pups that were being kept by an aged alcoholic customer in a caravan.

Do they still give the horse flesh of those they have to kill to local hounds and greyhounds? Makes it a little less harrowing.