Written answers

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Animal Identification Schemes

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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355. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which all non-sporting horses have been registered electronically, or otherwise; if the welfare of such animals continues to be monitored by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13362/15]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There are currently seven equine organisations approved under EU and National Legislation by my Department to maintain studbooks for animals whose parentage is established (pedigree animals). In addition, two of these organisations are approved to maintain a register for animals whose pedigree is not established (non-pedigree). These organisations are subject to regular inspections by my officials. The introduction of Regulation EC 504/2008 on 1 July 2009 requires three elements of identification to be fulfilled in respect of each equine, viz., a single lifetime passport, a method to ensure the unequivocal link between the animal and the passport, i.e., a transponder, and recording in a central database.

Equines that do not have parentage information receive a distinct passport (“white book”) from those equines whose parentage is recorded in an approved studbook. There were 9,064 of the former registered in 2014.

Horse Sport Ireland has informed my Department that a large proportion of horses whose parentage is not established are used in activities such as riding club competitions, hunter trials and in equestrian leisure pursuits.

Regarding welfare, horse owners are obliged to ensure the welfare of their horses irrespective of breed , whether kept for commercial, domestic, sport, show or for other purposes. The Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 places clear obligations on horse owners in regard to the requirement to look after animals and makes it an offence to abandon an animal . A person who abandons an animal is not relieved of responsibility for the welfare of that animal.

My Department devotes considerable resources to protecting horse welfare and , in conjunction with the local authorities and An Garda Siochana, my officials continue to adopt a pro-active approach in relation to horse welfare and will remove at-risk animals and, where appropriate, institute proceedings relating to any mal-treatment of these animals. Any person with concerns about horse welfare should contact my Department’s animal welfare helpline on 0761 064408.

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