Shooting horses. Is it legal...

Enfys

Enfys

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... to shoot your own horse?

There are laws about burying them, laws about transporting them, laws about what happens to them at an abbatoir, but what about shooting a horse yourself rather than calling, or waiting for a Vet (eg, injury, illness, old age etc)

Always assuming you/the shooter held the appropriate firearm permits.

Would it be a case of shoot, shovel and shut up?

Would you do it, if you absolutely had to?
 
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I have a friend (lady) who has a humane killer licence and shoots her own goats cattle etc. I can't see that horses would be any different in that circumstance. I wouldn't want to do it though.

My farmer neighbour also will shoot his sheep if they need to be pts, he then gets the local collection firm to pick them up.

I would ask a farmer they always seem to know what you can and can't do.
 
I think it might be you know.

I couldn't do it, unless it was absolutely necessary, as in the horse was bleeding to death etc :o
 
I'm not 100% sure but when we've had horses shot we've never informed anyone specific. You will have to declare the horses passport as deceased, so it can't be used for any other horse... Fraud etc. License to own a gun would also come in to play of course... I've known a few farmers do their own animals and have nevered encountered any issues.
 
It is not illegal to euthanase an animal in a humane and appropriate manner, i.e a person with relevant firearms licence can shoot their own horse, dog etc.
 
Horses don't count as livestock though in the way cattle etc are I don't think?

Is it legal to shoot your own dog? I would imagine horses fall into this category rather than in with cows/sheep?
 
jesstickle said:
Horses don't count as livestock though in the way cattle etc are I don't think?

Is it legal to shoot your own dog? I would imagine horses fall into this category rather than in with cows/sheep?
Click to expand...

Pretty sure you can shoot your own dog ( what a ghastly thought)
 
We had an old pony who the young trainee vet couldn't pts as her circulation had collapsed and she didn't have a gun. Her boss in the end suggested my OH did it with his 12 bore. The senior vet did finally turn up just before it came to that and he did it with his gun so we didn't have to.
Apparently tactically you still shoot from the front like with a humane killer but you mustn't press the barrels against their head, you need to leave a gap. There is a lot of blood but it is efficient and instant.
 
I could shoot my horse or dog if they were in misery and the vet was going to be ages. I wouldn't like it but better than watching them suffer I think.

Irrelevant as I don't have a shotgun license anyway.
 
I'm pretty sure you can if you have the right firearms licence, as you need a rifle not a shotgun. My (farmer) OH wanted to shoot mine when it needed to be PTS (to save money!) but I wouldn't let him because I wanted her injected. I bury the special ones though, which you can if it's deep enough, not near a water course and the horse is not classed as livestock (which most are not).
It's not easy to kill them outright though apparently if you dont aim right so unless the person was experienced I wouldn't just 'have a go.'
Hopefully it won't be an issue for us again though any time soon! Always a sad subject :( If it was an emergency though and vet couldn't get there I know OH could do it as he can do cattle....but I would rather the vet.
 
Hadn't thought about the fact you'd need a rifle but of course you would! Definitely don't have one of those.

Better hope the vet turns up pronto incase of emergency hadn't I?
 
Years ago my OH had to shoot his own dog after an accident on the farm :( If I had to, in an absolute emergency, I'd get him to shoot my horse. I don't think its illegal. He has got a shot gun licence I might add!
 
We have buried four of ours - all done by the farmer, and all hole sufficiently big enough, they now all have trees planted on them. They were either pts by injection though, or died of natural causes - I didn't shoot any of them :o
 
I've never seen one killed with a shotgun but I can imagine it would be a hell of a mess. Its better to use a rifle with sheep and cattle so I'd imagine it would be the same with a horse. Never done it. Fantasized over a few though....!




(PS obviously a joke....!)
 
Just clarryfiedwirh OH and YES it is legal , he has just said to me something that I did not think I would hear !!!

' you have got a lisence , what would you do if Levi broke a leg , or darcy ? '

' I could not do it !! '

' why'?

'i am allowed but could not do the deed , and would not want to '!!
I would get the game keeper !!!

So if you can , do it, !!! even a hardened horse hater can't do the deed !! :£
 
It is legal, I love my OH soo much on the the back of this thread !!! Thought he hated my boys and girls, but the love and sensitiveness he has shown through out had shocked me :). Thanks all

Xxxxx

At least I know there is a heart in there somewhere xx
 
I think you can if you have a licence for the right gun. About 10 years ago a pony got hit by a car not far from where I worked & the next door farmer shot it rather than leave it in the state it was in. My boss went up to help him move it & iirc they got a vet in afterwards to confirm the horse was beyond help so the owners could claim on the insurance, so not a hidden shooting they got away with.
 
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