Memorandum submitted by The Home of Rest
for Horses
The proposed Bill represents the most important
landmark in Animal Welfare legislation for a nearly a century
and I believe it to be excellent, well researched and practical,
the only reservation being the usual concerns about weak enforcement.
Robust Codes of Practice are the cornerstone
of the Bill. The Horse Industry already has a widely accepted
Code in the form of the Equine Welfare Guidelines Compendium which
when revised would make an excellent appendix to the Bill, representing
the succinct collective wisdom of the whole horse industry.
Whilst, it is impossible to ignore the costs
of implementing the proposals in the draft it is important to
appreciate that costs are probably the biggest factor in all animal
welfare problems. It is not possible to provide acceptable standards
of welfare on the cheap. This is a message that we continually
preach and it is preferable not to have animals at all than to
jeopardise their welfare by cost cutting. This is an essential
part of the theme of responsible ownership.
Annex E
You will be aware that Animal Sanctuaries are
the subject of a Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC) review
(2004) which supports regulation. This view is widely supported
by responsible opinion with welfare concerns within the horseworld.
Annex F
TETHERING
The proposal to introduce a statutory code for
tethering of horses is wholly supported. The National Equine Welfare
Council (NEWC) recently introduced a voluntary code which has
yet to have any real impact, although a similar NEWC code for
markets has been widely accepted by local authorities and proved
a positive influence in improving welfare standards.
Annex F
LIVERY YARDS
The voluntary BHS scheme is proving disappointing
in the scale of the uptake. There is a real need for a non-voluntary
scheme. The cost implications are reasonable and should not be
a factor. Livery Yards are an area where cost cutting is having
a real adverse impact on horse welfare which cannot be achieved
on the cheap. The proposed licensing interval is agreed although
there is a requirement for random spot checks.
Annex G
Although not within the remit of The Home of
Rest for Horses response, as a veterinary surgeon I cannot help
stating my support for the proposal to ban docking. Given the
widespread support within the veterinary profession for the ban,
the comment on a reduction in veterinary surgeon's income is superfluous
and mildly insulting.
P G H Jepaon BVSc MSc MRCVS
Chief Executive
6 August 2004
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