This article is from page 15 of the 2006-05-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
CLARE Animal Welfare are urging tighter controls on animal traceability in light of the appalling cruelty suffered by an abandoned horse.
The organisation wants domestic animals to be microchipped to make it more difficult for animals to be stolen or abandoned.
The horse, which has been named Eana, is now recovering on a refuge owned by Clare Animal Welfare who have set up the ‘Eana Recovery Appeal’ to encourage people to sponsor a bag of food for Eana.
Current regulations which require all thoroughbreds and animals registered with the Irish Horse Board to be microchipped aren’t widely enforced.
The process of microchipping involves inserting a small microchip under the skin of the animal which can be scanned to determine who the animal is registered to.
Kate Browne says the case of Eana and the gory details of another cruelty case make microchipping essential.
“We have received 11 distress calls about horses since the New Year and, while this horse is in a particularly bad state, the important thing is to ensure that all animals are traceable. We need to see microchipping enforced. There was a case in Kildare last week where greyhounds had their ears chopped off to remove their markings. This is happening all the time.”
She added, “People aren’t scanning animals when they are being sold. Marts and horse fairs should insist that any animal for sale is scanned.”
The full thoroughbred mare had been abandoned in a wooded area near Lough Ea by its careless owner and had been sighted on several occasions by locals before again being spotted by a woman walking in the area over the Easter weekend.
After an exhaustive search, the severely emaciated animal was recovered by Kate Browne.
Such is the extent of the horse’s injuries that it will take up to two years for it to fully recover.
Kate said the animal is making good progress but is in a very distressed state.
”She’s just skin and bone. I’ve taken clumps of mudrash off her and her hair is falling out. She had dislocated her hip. But we have high hopes. She is taking pro-biotics and is eating a low-protein diet.”