IRISH SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
Evidence submitted to
The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine
14th July 2014
Presented by
Dr Andrew Kelly, Chief Executive Officer
and
Barbara Bent, Chair of ISPCA Board of Directors
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Introduction
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is recognised as Ireland’s national
animal welfare organisation. Founded in 1949, the ISPCA has been providing front line
animal welfare services for over 65 years, and is the umbrella organisation for 20 local
animal welfare organisations across Ireland. The ISPCA is concerned for the welfare of all
animals in all circumstances, but recognises that animals will be used in a number of
different ways within society and strives to ensure that welfare of all animals is protected.
The ISPCA currently operates two rescue centres, the National Animal Centre in Keenagh,
Co. Longford and an equine rescue centre in Mallow, Co. Cork. Both sites deal with those
animals most in need, those that have been abandoned, neglected or cruelly treated. The
NAC deals with equines, dogs, cats and other species, while the equine centre in Cork deals
mostly with equines. The NAC has capacity for about 20 equines, while the equine centre in
Cork has capacity for around 50 equines.
The ISPCA is funded mostly by public donations and we receive an ex-gratia grant from the
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
National Cruelty Helpline
The ISPCA operates a national cruelty helpline (1890 515 515), which accepts calls from
members of the public reporting incidences of animal cruelty. Such incidences can also be
reported via the ISPCA website (www.ispca.ie). In 2014, the helpline received over 21,000
calls.
ISPCA Inspectorate
The ISPCA has a team of six uniformed Animal Welfare Inspectors, covering 14 counties. We
are currently in the process of recruiting two more Inspectors, for Limerick and Waterford &
South Tipperaray, which will increase our team to eight Inspectors covering 17 counties.
Over the coming years we aim to provide coverage for all 26 counties.
In May 2014, the ISPCA entered into a Service Agreement with the Minister for Agriculture,
Food and the Marine under section 74 of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, which
authorised ISPCA Inspectors under the Act. Our Inspectors now exercise a function under
the Act other than the exceptions detailed in the Service Agreement. ISPCA Inspectors do
not exercise a function in relation to:
a) An animal of the bovine, ovine, porcine or caprine species which is kept on a farm for
the commercial production of food for human consumption or a horse on such a
farm,
b) Horse racing events organised by Horse Racing Ireland or Horse Sport Ireland,
c) Stud farms registered with the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association,
d) The premises of horse trainers licensed by the Turf Club, or
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e) A greyhound racing establishment operated by the Irish Greyhound Board or a
greyhound breeding establishment within the meaning of the Welfare of
Greyhounds Act 2011
Since becoming authorised officers in May 2014, ISPCA Inspectors have initiated over 45
prosecutions under the Animal Health and Welfare Act, three of which have already been
finalised in court with positive outcomes.
Equine Welfare
The ISPCA has dealt with significant equine welfare issues over the years. Between 2008 and
2014, the ISPCA National Cruelty Helpline received 10,374 complaints regarding equine
welfare (average = 1729/year), Figure 1.
2500
Number of Complaints
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Year
Figure 1 Equine complaints received by the ISPCA National Cruelty Helpline between 2008
and 2014.
Over the same time period, ISPCA Inspectors seized (or had surrendered to them) 401
equines ranging from donkeys to ponies to thoroughbreds and covering both rural and
urban areas. The numbers seized / surrendered has increased from 13 in 2008 to 103 in
2014, Figure 2. By the end of May 2015, 51 equines had been seized surrendered,
suggesting that the trend is going to continue. These equines suffer from a range of
problems, including starvation, hoof problems and injuries. Many have been abandoned and
the owners could not be traced either because the equines were not microchipped or
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because the last known owner, when traced, claimed that they had been sold on. Less than
10% of those equines seized by the ISPCA are thoroughbred or ex-racehorses.
120
100
Number seized
80
60
40
20
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Year
Figure 2 The numbers of equines seized / surrendered to ISPCA Inspectors between 2008
and 2014.
Equine legislation
The ISPCA has welcomed and supports recent changes to legislation relating to equines,
including registration of equine premises, microchipping, passporting and transfer of
ownership regulations. However, we are concerned that a lack of enforcement by DAFM has
resulted in widespread non-compliance.
The ISPCA has long called for transfer of ownership regulations which placed a responsibility
on both the vendor and the buyer of an equine to update the passport details held by the
Passport Issuing Office (PIO). On a number of occasions the ISPCA has seized an abandoned,
microchipped horse but have been unable to ascertain ownership as the last known owner
simply claims to have sold it on. We were pleased when SI No. 189 of 2014, Equidae
(Transfer of Ownership) Regulations 2014 came into force on 1 st July 2014 as it did put a
responsibility on both the vendor and the owner to update the record.
However, we were disappointed when this was replaced in December 2014 by SI No. 601 of
2014, Equidae (Transfer of Ownership)(No.2) Regulations, which came into force on 1 st
January 2015 and which returned the responsibility the buyer only, which was a huge step
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backwards in the ISPCA’s opinion. We queried this with DAFM, who informed us that SI189
had been replaced by SI601 following consultation with stakeholders. The ISPCA nor any
other welfare organisation were consulted on this important change.
For equine legislation to have the desired impact it must be effectively enforced and all
equines must be fully traceable throughout their lifetime. Unfortunately, it is our experience
that enforcement varies both between and within counties, with a lack of consistency
between DAFM and Local Authority veterinary inspectors.
Case studies
Ex racehorce, abandoned in Co. Westmeath
in 2013. Last known owner traced and
claimed that the horse had been sold on
but could not supply details of buyer.
Subsequently rehomed.
Ex racehorce, abandoned in Co. Donegal in
2013. Last known owner traced and
claimed that the horse had been sold on
but could not supply details of buyer.
Subsequently rehomed.
Ex racehorse, seized in Co. Carlow in April
2015. Subsequently euthanased to prevent
further suffering.
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Summary
The ISPCA deals with over 1700 equine related calls each year and between 2008 and 2014
seized 401 horses. Most of the seized equines are low value horses, ponies and donkeys, but
around 10% are thoroughbred. In most cases the last known owner claimed that they have
sold the horse on, but are unable to provide information about the new owner. There is
currently no requirement on the vendor to update the data held by the PIO. There is
currently a lack of enforcement of existing legislation and a lack of consistency between and
within counties with regard to enforcement.
Recommendations
1. Enforce existing legislation effectively.
2. Ensure consistency between DAFM and Local Authority Veterinary Inspectors.
3. Review Transfer of Ownership Regulations and put responsibility on both the vendor and
the buyer to update details with the Passport Issuing Office.
Dr Andrew Kelly and Barbara Bent for the ISPCA
July 2015
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