TOO MANY HORSES are being allowed to breed, causing an over-population crisis.
That is the message from the ISPCA, who today urged horse owners to change the pattern and castrate certain creatures.
According to the charity, too many owners are allowing their horses to breed, with the result that the country is being flooded with low-value foals.
With no market for them, many of these animals are abandoned, seriously neglected or acquired by people without the adequate knowledge or means to properly care for them.
ISPCA Chief Executive Dr Andrew Kelly says that the only way over-population can be tackled is for owners to take responsibility.
“The only real way to deal with the equine over-population crisis is for owners to take a more responsible attitude by ensuring their colts are professionally castrated at the appropriate age.
“The fundamental reason for the epidemic of equine welfare problems that we are encountering is the fact that equines are too readily available and, in many cases, at too low a cost. The problems are compounded by a lack of accountability and traceability due to non-compliance with equine identification legislation and, of course, continued indiscriminate breeding.”
Along with other charitable organisations, the ISPCA says it is doing its best to re-home unwanted horses, but warns that such is the scale of the crisis that they are unable to deal with the large number of equines involved.
In a bid to halt the crisis, the charity is launching a national appeal urging owners to take the above measures and ensure their equines are not producing unwanted foals.
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