RSPCA warns of 'equine crisis' after more than 70 calls involving horses in West Sussex
The charity's expecting a busy winter for incidents
The RSPCA has warned it faces an impending 'horse welfare catastrophe' this winter.
The animal rescue charity, based in Southwater near Horsham, has dealt with 4,479 incidents involving horses across England and Wales between 23rd March - the start of the UK's coronavirus lockdown - and September 8th.
72 of those calls came from West Sussex and a further 62 from East Sussex.
As the charity launches its month-long rehoming drive, Adoptober, it reveals that nationally the number of horses in its care is already three times what it was at the start of the last recession in 2009, and said it is braced for huge numbers of abandoned and neglected horses as the country plunges into an even deeper financial downturn.
Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the RSPCA said:
"Equine charities fear that autumn will create the perfect storm as grazing decreases, the end of furlough and the deepening recession will see more owners struggling with costs of care leading to neglect and abandonment, yet people have been continuing to breed horses despite Covid.
"Alongside this, equine rescues, already reporting a sharp drop in funds, may start to go under as the financial situation bites, which will increase the burden on the RSPCA. We are calling on the Government to step in with financial support as they have for other charities affected by the pandemic and recognise that the vital services provided by the animal welfare sector are under huge strain."
Last year the charity rehomed 242 horses, but almost 760 remain in the charity’s care to date, desperately needing new homes.
At the time of the last recession, the RSPCA had 250 horses in its care in 2009, but following that downturn, numbers peaked at nearly 1,200 in 2013.
The RSPCA is expecting more horses to be abandoned or neglected as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and the deepening recession and is urging people who are looking to take on a horse to think about adopting one from the charity.
New legislation demanding compulsory microchipping of all horses irrespective of age came into effect across England on Thursday (October 1st)- currently around 70% of the horses the RSPCA rescue are not microchipped.
But the charity fears it's not enough to tackle irresponsible breeders and owners.
Chris said:
"When it came in for dogs, the number of strays reduced by 20% in four years, but unfortunately we just don't think that's going to happen for horses. Without rigorous enforcement and tough financial penalties, there is little to stop irresponsible horse owners continuing to breed and dump their animals."
"Local authorities, who are in charge of enforcement of equine identification regulations, are already operating with extremely limited resources and are facing the huge challenges of Covid, the recession and Brexit."
"The RSPCA and other equine welfare organisations have been struggling to pick up the pieces of the horse crisis since the last recession and as we enter what could be the biggest financial downturn of a generation, the sector is already bursting at the seams and facing unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic."
The RSPCA has launched month long campaign called Adoptober and hopes experienced horse owners will consider rehoming a rescue horse if they can.
Staff are keen to showcase the versatility and capability of the horses they rescue, whether they are ridden horses, companion animals or youngsters with heaps of potential.
The RSPCA is the UK's biggest rehomer, finding 39,178 homes for pets last year - that's 107 a day, or four an hour.