Loose horse - help needed

bexcy-bee

bexcy-bee

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I'm at work (police) and regularly, as in every other night, 2 traveller horses get out onto a busy 50mph road.

Obviously, I put them back in, or colleagues if I'm not in do, and do the fence up the best I can.

The landowner has said he has kicked them out, but no official complaint so can't do anything.

Obviously RSPCA aren't interested, who else shall I call?!

Thanks in advance

Bexcy-bee x
 
can you encourage landowner to make a complaint? I'm not sure what the score is if they caused an accident which by the sounds of it is a matter of time?

would the landowner be responsible?
 
Jeezzzz after watching motorway cops other night with 2 accidents with horses i hope you can sort this. A horse being killed is bad enouugh but an innocent driver. that was horrific. no suggestions other than council whw or rspca .
 
Animal Welfare office at local council will advise, but prob not at this time of night.

However, if you are around the Reading area, Thames Valley police DO have a green-yard policy (despite most not knowing about it).
Get onto HQ & arrange to get them lifted to the green yard (place of safety) next time they are straying on the public highway. Its not actually legal for you to put them on someones land (even as a place of safety) unless they agree.....
(2 local police officers round here did just that earlier this summer - and put 2 loose travellers colts into what they thought was a safe field - but it had a stallion out with mares (belonging to different travellers) - carnage ensued with horses & also owners, legal issues still going on due to the officers error)

Hope you get it sorted out x
 
As a police officer I'm amazed you can't get the RSPCA to take action.

But, as the horses have been put in a field with inadequate fencing I would have thought the first port of call would be the landowner. He has a legal responsibility to ensure livestock can't get out. Whether they've been dumped there are not.
 
amymay said:
As a police officer I'm amazed you can't get the RSPCA to take action.

But, as the horses have been put in a field with inadequate fencing I would have thought the first port of call would be the landowner. He has a legal responsibility to ensure livestock can't get out. Whether they've been dumped there are not.
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An ex of mine is a police officer and he said the RSPCA were next to useless and very rarely bothered coming out even when a police officer is requesting them! Even he said they only bothered coming if you mentioned TV cameras being on site....!! Will be intrigued to see this CH5 RSPCA programme starting soon - it'll show them in an unrealistic light yet again I am sure!

Why can't stray horses be seized the same way as dogs and IF the 'owners' turn up then they have to pay to retrieve them and have them microchipped etc etc?
 
victoria1980x said:
can you encourage landowner to make a complaint? I'm not sure what the score is if they caused an accident which by the sounds of it is a matter of time?

would the landowner be responsible?
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Landowner has a contract stating owner of horses is in charge of fencing. He is an old frail man, who lives miles away from the field, and TBH isnt interested from what hes said when I spoke to him.

Polos Mum said:
Call whw - much more interested than rspca usually.

if you work for the police can't you talk to the owners directly in an official capacity?
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Think I will need to email WHW or leave a message. I have spoken to the owner in an official capacity, he promises he will fix the fence, and just never does!

putasocinit said:
I could sms my field officer at whw and see what she suggests, let me know, whereabouts are these horses
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Caversham, Reading

babymare said:
Jeezzzz after watching motorway cops other night with 2 accidents with horses i hope you can sort this. A horse being killed is bad enouugh but an innocent driver. that was horrific. no suggestions other than council whw or rspca .
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This is exactly why im going out of my way to try and sort it out!
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Animal Welfare office at local council will advise, but prob not at this time of night.

However, if you are around the Reading area, Thames Valley police DO have a green-yard policy (despite most not knowing about it).
Get onto HQ & arrange to get them lifted to the green yard (place of safety) next time they are straying on the public highway. Its not actually legal for you to put them on someones land (even as a place of safety) unless they agree.....
(2 local police officers round here did just that earlier this summer - and put 2 loose travellers colts into what they thought was a safe field - but it had a stallion out with mares (belonging to different travellers) - carnage ensued with horses & also owners, legal issues still going on due to the officers error)

Hope you get it sorted out x
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I had completely forgotten about the green yard policy, I will call the OPs room and inform them etc. Thanks for the reminder! Luckily, I know the field I am herding them back into IS definitely the correct field they came from, so fingers crossed no problems there!

amymay said:
As a police officer I'm amazed you can't get the RSPCA to take action.

But, as the horses have been put in a field with inadequate fencing I would have thought the first port of call would be the landowner. He has a legal responsibility to ensure livestock can't get out. Whether they've been dumped there are not.
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I am disgusted with the RSPCA! I have been on the phone to them for a while this evening, they have informed me, that no matter how many times the horses get out, they cant do anything unless they are being neglected, ie. no food water or with injuries. Horses on the road are a police matter, all well and good, but a lot of my colleagues are scared of horses, so not ideal at all!

Landowner not interested, he informed me the contract is for the owner of horses to ensure fencing is correct, and as he has given them notice, due to them not keeping the fencing up to date, I dont think he will make an effort regardless!

Its so fraustrating! Im literally pulling my hair out about this, I cant beleive the owner is this uninterested!!

Thanks everyone :)

bexcy-bee x
 
Good luck :)
Can I just ask (am confused). Is the facts as follows:
That someone has been thrown off land and yet they have put their horses back on it?
Despite the fencing being poor?

The owner of the land would have no liability against the trespassers if its proven they had been given notice.
Again, one for the animal welfare officer to sort out. I think you'd need to go to Reading CC for their AWO.

Yes, RSPCA are right - its police matter if on public highway.
You need to put them in a place of safety, hence the green yard :) Once in green yard, your force can then liase with the relevant welfare people :)
 
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amymay said:
As a police officer I'm amazed you can't get the RSPCA to take action.

But, as the horses have been put in a field with inadequate fencing I would have thought the first port of call would be the landowner. He has a legal responsibility to ensure livestock can't get out. Whether they've been dumped there are not.
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Not quite Amymay, not if they had been dumped there or evicted for non-compliance in respect of fencing the livestock in.....
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Good luck :)
Can I just ask (am confused). Is the facts as follow:
That someone has been thrown off land and yet their have put their horses back on it?
Despite the fencing being poor?

The owner of the land would have no liability against the trespassers if its proven they had been given notice.
Again, one for the animal welfare officer to sort out. I think you'd need to go to Reading CC for their AWO.

Yes, RSPCA are right - its police matter if on public highway.
You need to put them in a place of safety, hence the green yard :) Once in green yard, your force can then liase with the relevant welfare people :)
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Sorry, writing on my phone quickly whilst at work, want to get this sorted so not explaining myself fully, sorry!

I spoke to a neighbout who gave me landowners details. called landowner, who was suprised I had called, as he had given the owner of horses notice, obviously expected them to go, but they just havent done so. Owner of land hasnt ever thrown horses out officially, just expected them to go. Land owner gave me horse owners number, who I called and arranged to meet etc. He promised he would get fences fixed, apparently wasnt aware he had been given notice.

Green yard policy doesnt cover Reading. Have just had confirmation back from head office, and isnt rolled out here yet! Grrr...

How long do you think it would take for them to notice if I just boxed them up and took them to my yard? lol.

Joking aside, I will contake CC in the am.

Thanks for the advice guys! :)

bexcy-bee x
 
BB - good luck, but double check. (? try someone from your country watch section, they ought to know about it ?)
Both my local 2 (very large) towns Police stations know nothing about green yard.
HQ in Surrey have told people they dont have one.... however: they do.

If you can get through to WHW or BHS in the morning, they will also be able to advise :)
x
 
It is not the RSPCA or WHW responsibility to deal with loose horses on the highway. It is a police issue only. No matter how many times the police attempt to pass off the hassle on to the RSPCA they quite rightly will not take an officer away from another job, which would be an actual welfare issue or injured animal ( that the police aren't interested in either) to try and catch a horse. The police have the power to seize a stray equine and should do. If there is no green yard police will have to pay for private boarding.
No need to be angry at the RSPCA or anyone other than the person responsible for their animal, for just stating quite rightly, that the police need to deal with it!
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
BB - good luck, but double check. (? try someone from your country watch section, they ought to know about it ?)
Both my local 2 (very large) towns Police stations know nothing about green yard.
HQ in Surrey have told people they dont have one.... however: they do.

If you can get through to WHW or BHS in the morning, they will also be able to advise :)
x
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Have emailed BHS and WHW as will be working un-office friendly times over the weekend.

Just have to keep fingers crossed that the green yard policy will be enrolled throughout the force!

Damn horses, who'd have 'em ;)

bexcy-bee x
 
I thought the landowner has strict liability for animals who trespass from his property so any damage would be his responsibility. Isn't this why landowners need a specific public liability insurance for any animal on their land? If this is the case the landowner cannot absolve himself of responsibility for the fencing with a contract.
 
MillyMoomie said:
It is not the RSPCA or WHW responsibility to deal with loose horses on the highway. It is a police issue only. No matter how many times the police attempt to pass off the hassle on to the RSPCA they quite rightly will not take an officer away from another job, which would be an actual welfare issue or injured animal ( that the police aren't interested in either) to try and catch a horse. The police have the power to seize a stray equine and should do. If there is no green yard police will have to pay for private boarding.
No need to be angry at the RSPCA or anyone other than the person responsible for their animal, for just stating quite rightly, that the police need to deal with it!
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The police arent trying to 'pass off the hassle' onto the RSPCA, I just would have expected them to have a policy where by if a horse strays onto a road a number of times, they are able to act.

Please dont blanket the police with 'not caring' for welfare issues or injured animals, we have guidelines we have to conform to, but personal officers will work outside of those to help where possible. RSPCA arent able to help in this situation, so I merely stated my fraustration in this situation. Im not saying they are useless etc in every situation.

We do not have the power to seize a horse unfortunately, that is theft. Police will only pay for private 'boarding' if part of the green yard policy, which were not unfortunately.

Please dont make this thread into an argument, I wanted help, not a RSPCA battle
 
bexcy-bee said:
The police arent trying to 'pass off the hassle' onto the RSPCA, I just would have expected them to have a policy where by if a horse strays onto a road a number of times, they are able to act.

Please dont blanket the police with 'not caring' for welfare issues or injured animals, we have guidelines we have to conform to, but personal officers will work outside of those to help where possible. RSPCA arent able to help in this situation, so I merely stated my fraustration in this situation. Im not saying they are useless etc in every situation.

We do not have the power to seize a horse unfortunately, that is theft. Police will only pay for private 'boarding' if part of the green yard policy, which were not unfortunately.

Please dont make this thread into an argument, I wanted help, not a RSPCA battle
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Yes the police do have the power to seize horses.
 
bexcy-bee said:
Could you please point me in the direction of this legislation then, as neither me or my colleagues are able to find it.
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At the point of the horses straying onto the road, could you not use your power to take into possession under the animal welfare act. If you can't seize how do you expect the RSPCA or WHW to? If you want an enforcement notice issued, the only statutory one would be issued by the local authority, if you have an animal health department (and if it's not be axed through budget cuts!!)

Why is the land owner not responsible, he is renting the land out for the use of animal grazing but has walked away from the responsibility to ensure it is securely fenced for such purpose????

I'd also be pointing out the cost implication to both the horse owner and land owner of not sorting the fencing, if their horse gets out and causes an accident am sure they would be liable if it was proven they knew the fencing was insecure???
 
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LynH said:
I thought the landowner has strict liability for animals who trespass from his property so any damage would be his responsibility. Isn't this why landowners need a specific public liability insurance for any animal on their land? If this is the case the landowner cannot absolve himself of responsibility for the fencing with a contract.
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Indeed. All very well for landowner to say he's not interested. The law says something different.
 
The police have the power to seize any amimal they consider to be in danger, or a danger to the public. Hell if they think it's that dangerous they can shoot it.

So, seize the horses. Place them in safety. Bill the owners.

P.s who do you think seizes animals on behalf of the rspca?
 
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amymay said:
The police have the power to seize any amimal they consider to be in danger, or a danger to the public. Hell if they think it's that dangerous they can shoot it.

So, seize the horses. Place them in safety. Bill the owners.

P.s who do you think seizes animals on behalf of the rspca?
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This may be the case, but I personally can't seize them. The people up high just say to put them back in the field and secure.

Yes, I know we seize for RSPCA, but that's on their recommendation and only when neglect.

Please don't turn this into a slanging match, I asked for help, I have received that help. I am doing all I can, and speaking to everyone I can, within the force and outside to try and sort this out. I am not being half hearted in this, trust me!
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
Lyn, thats insurance liability for the fencing of stock.

Straying on the highway comes under section 155 against the owner of the animals.........
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Slight confusion between the Animals Act which is civil liability for damage and the Highways Act which I assume sec 155 comes under. Does this not give power to the police to deal with straying animals? It's almost 20yrs since I did my law degree so I'm not as up to date as most.
 
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