HELP!!! I think my passport is a fake

mrsjcmking

mrsjcmking

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I bought my pony end of july this year. he came with a passport, that albeit was clean but looked legitimate. The description and age and everything fitted him. he's the first pony that i have owned so passports are a new thing to me. I was talking to the police today about passport (my friend recently acquired a horse with an obviously fake one) and they said the best way to check the passport was to 1) see if the passport number was 15 characters long and 2)check it on nedonline.co.uk

I did both of these. My passport number is 16 characters long and according to nedonline my horse doesn't exist.

I will be reporting it to the police, however I would like to know my rights

If Sammy was stolen, do I risk losing him to his previous owners?

Will I be prosecuted for theft as it has been 3 months and i've only just noticed (I know i am supposed to register him after 30 days, however being a new owner, this is something I have only just found out)

I don't want to lose my pony and I don't want a criminal record.

Has anyone been through anything like this?
 
Was your pony born in the UK? If not it would explain why it isn't on NED. Did you have the pony vetted as the vet would have had a good look at the passport?
 
You have to post it off to get it stamped and put in your name - take a photocopy to keep, but send the original off recorded post, I did mine a few months back, came back after a week all stamped in my name.
 
Divasmum said:
Was your pony born in the UK? If not it would explain why it isn't on NED. Did you have the pony vetted as the vet would have had a good look at the passport?
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I didn't have him vetted as the vetting cost more than to buy him, but 2 vets have seen his passport, one who had a leaf through, and no comments against it

Is it really only meant to have 15 digits?

His passport says he was born in the uk
 
martlin said:
Who are ''they''? The passport issuing organisation? If so, you will need to post the passport to them in order to have the change of ownership noted, how else do you think it could be done?
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Like I said i'm new to horse passports.

I will send it off recorded tomorrow
 
Also i found out the the spotted horse and pony society had their passport issuing revoked in 2008. My pony's passport was issued may 2009???
 
Laura1234 said:
Did they give you a form to fill out with your details, or advise you to check their website for it? I had to fill out a form and include it with the passport when I sent mine. Hope this helps.
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No

They don't have a website, and the lady I spoke to just asked me to send it straight to her.

argh...I'm so confused!
 
Out of interest, who have you been speaking to about change of ownership? The spotted horse and pony society did have their passport issuing licence revoked - have you spoken to them about change of ownership? I thought they were no more? Or was it issued by the british spotted pony society, who are still in existence?
 
zoeshiloh said:
The spotted horse and pony society did have their passport issuing licence revoked - have you spoken to them about change of ownership? I thought they were no more? Or was it issued by the british spotted pony society, who are still in existence?
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It was definitely issued by "the spotted horse and pony society" with no 'british', even the logo is different. How can they issue a passport a year after it ahs been revoked?
 
They can't... I sent off an application to them in 2007 and never heard anything from them - six months later they had their licence revoked, and I have still never heard from them. It sounds very suspicious to me. Who have you spoken to about change of ownership though, as they are no longer in existence, so surely cannot do that for you? I wouldn't send off a passport to anyone to do with them as I doubt you would ever get it back as they are no longer a society.
 
Don't send the passport off to anyone until you know for sure who is who!

Where did you get the lady's number from to call?

Get in touch with DEFRA and Trading Standards, see if either of them has anything useful to add.
 
MrsMozart said:
Don't send the passport off to anyone until you know for sure who is who!

Where did you get the lady's number from to call?

Get in touch with DEFRA and Trading Standards, see if either of them has anything useful to add.
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Rang trading standards. no help

I got the number from the DEFRA website. which seems weird, bearing in mind the society doesn exist anymore
 
Article from Horse & Hound...
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/article.php?aid=256369

Stating "But passports already issued are still valid and the British Spotted Pony Society (BSpPS) confirmed it will maintain any existing SHAPS passports.

BSpPS registrar Zena Jackson told H&H: "We have agreed to manage the passports and issue new ones as necessary. SHAPS passports will still be fine so people should not worry. "
 
chickeninabun said:
Article from Horse & Hound...
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/article.php?aid=256369

Stating "But passports already issued are still valid and the British Spotted Pony Society (BSpPS) confirmed it will maintain any existing SHAPS passports.

BSpPS registrar Zena Jackson told H&H: "We have agreed to manage the passports and issue new ones as necessary. SHAPS passports will still be fine so people should not worry. "
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I know this. however My passport was issued in may 2009. a year after this article. and NOT by the BSpPS...mine is apparently a SHAPS one
 
"I got the number from the DEFRA website. which seems weird, bearing in mind the society doesnt exist anymore "
:D :D :D,Never believe anything DEATHRA says!
 
The first six digits are the PIOs number and these can be looked up on the UELN website. The next 6 are the internal number of the PIO. DEFRA do not prosecute it is the job of your Trading Standards. You did not give the passport number so we cannot help.
 
Sorry OP but it sounds to me like you have been fleeced by whoever you bought the pony off.

You may have a genuine passport which has either been doctored or one that has been stolen prior to being filled in. I would certainly NOT be sending it off to anyone before speaking to the person you bought this animal from. It sounds very likely that they have commited an offence.
 
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