Press Release:
Gartcosh, Glasgow 6th January 2014. Horse Rescue Scotland – A Newly Launched Charity
On the 6th December 2013, Horse Rescue Scotland received consent for registration as a charity by the Office of the
Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). Formed in response to the growing crisis in equine welfare, with specific reference to Scotland, the aims of Horse
Rescue Scotland are:‐
1: to provide for the veterinary care, comfort and adequate welfare of horses, ponies, donkeys and other
equine breeds in situ or in places of sanctuary;
2: to promote knowledge, education and interest in the welfare of horses and ponies in Scotland
3: to promote and advance best practice, skills and knowledge amongst owners;
4: to relieve the suffering and distress, illness and discomfort of horses, ponies, donkeys and other equine
breeds. Background
What is the problem:
A recent survey of England and Wales by World Horse Welfare estimated that 7,000 horses and ponies were
considered welfare risks evidenced by the boom in “fly‐grazing” of horses on roadside verges and public
spaces generally;
The doubling of horses slaughtered in the UK at the three registered slaughter houses to almost 8,000
annually and a massive increase in horse meat exported abroad;
Existing horse sanctuaries are unable to cope with demand;
The estimated cost of keeping a horse or pony is estimated by BETA as being just over £3,500 per annum to
provide very basic care. Princess Anne in a recent speech referred to a “crisis in horse welfare” that might only be alleviated if we started
eating horse meat by elective choice. That if horses have a value in the meat sector when dead then they might be
valued more, cared for better, when alive. The image of horse owners is that of moneyed affluence but the reality is that horses and ponies are the first victims
of the recession and the last to recover. There are too many horses and simply not enough responsible owners with sufficient knowledge and means to keep
them. It is estimated that there are over 1m horses in the UK and some 450,000 owners. Irresponsible breeding has also played a part and this is compounded by the failure of some owners to geld colts due
to rising costs of veterinary care or misconceived notions of the bloodstock value of the horses and ponies they
breed. The market value of horses as a commodity has never been lower. Very often horses and ponies cannot be
given away let alone sold on. The problems have been compounded by the perceived failure of the Westminster AND devolved administrations to
maintain accurate and timely horse ID registers or records of owners and the virtual collapse of the “Horse Passport”
scheme on DEFRA walking away from the project in September 2012 ‐ despite EU legislation demanding that such
schemes exist to prevent contaminated horse meat from entering the human food chain. The Value of the equine community to Scotland
This has been estimated by Horse Rescue Scotland as being between £500m and £700m (GVM basis) per annum
based on extensive research carried out by Deloitte’s for the British horse racing industry and by others on behalf of
the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA). The equine community is an embedded part of the overall rural economy that receives very little in the way of
government support or subsidy whatsoever and precious little recognition. Horse Rescue Scotland – An Overview
Horse Rescue Scotland is an organisation that has been set up by like‐minded individuals to achieve four basic aims
which are enshrined as being our objectives:
We know that there exists in Scotland today a large number of horses and ponies in distress. This may be the result
of wilful neglect, but our experience is that it is almost certainly the result of the failure of one of the following
essentials:‐
• An owner no longer capable of providing care
• An owner ignorant of a horse’s genuine needs
• A horse or pony falling ill or lame or simply old
Horse Rescue Scotland wants to help. Horse Rescue Scotland also wishes to help build a community of interested and like‐minded individuals who want to
be around horses. Comment
Peter MacDonald, Chairman of Horse Rescue Scotland comments: “There has never been a greater need for the
services of a dedicated horse welfare organisation such as Horse Rescue Scotland. Animal welfare is a devolved issue
within a European legal context but an issue lost and overshadowed in the concentration and emphasis upon animal
health generally and the concern over food traceability. Our mission is to bring the issues of horse welfare to the
forefront of discussions at the highest levels and to provide positive and practical assistance to horse owners in
financial distress and a sanctuary for as many horses and ponies as we can.”
Further Notes, Information and References:
Please e‐mail: [email protected]
Please visit Horse Rescue Scotland’s website www.horserescuescotland.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HorseRescueScotland
Twitter https://twitter.com/HorseRescueScot
