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Posted: 16th October 2013

New bill to tackle fly grazing in Wales
Equine charities call for a similar move in England

The Welsh government has announced new legislation to target those who intentionally fly graze their horses, leading equine welfare charities to call for similar steps to be taken in England.

Introduced on October 14 by Alun Davies, Welsh minister for natural food and resources, the Control of Horses (Wales) Bill will give local authorities equal powers to tackle those who deliberately or negligently permit their horses to graze on land without the permission of the landowner - known as "fly grazing".

These powers include the ability to seize, impound, return to the owner, or as a last resort, euthanise horses by humane means when they are on land without lawful consent.

According to progress details on the National Assembly for Wales website, the bill has been fast-tracked through the first stage of the legislative process and a debate is to take place on October 22.

The news has been welcomed by numerous leading UK charities, including World Horse Welfare, Redwings Horse Sanctuary, HorseWorld, British Horse Society and Blue Cross. However, many welfare organisations have highlighted the importance of similar measures being introduced in England to prevent the problem moving across the border.

Roly Owers, chief executive for World Horse Welfare, commented: "Of course this isn’t the end to the horse crisis problems – only the beginning – a promising start for Wales but a more ominous one for England.

"The problems, as we are seeing already, will simply continue to move over the border unless English Government follows suit by putting in place tighter legislation and better enforcement for this country’s horses."

In echo of this the RSPCA head of external affairs, David Bowles, said the charity "fully supports" the decision to introduce legislation, adding: "The RSPCA emphasises the need for better legislation, traceability, education, enforcement, resources for local authorities and sharing best practice.

"We remain committed to these aims and to the resurrection of the national equine database and mandatory microchipping for all horses across England and Wales."

Mr Owers also noted that the Assembly will need to ensure that local authorities have the resources to enforce the new legislation, such as the yards to keep the horses in for seven days after they have been seized, funds to feed them and sufficient people on the ground to carry out enforcement.




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