Statement from the BHS re Amersham Horses

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Taboo1968

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I have this morning been talking to Lee Hackett..... The BHS website is currently experiencing difficulties and therefore have not been able to issue their statement online. However Mr Hackett informed me that as soon as it was ready he would email it to me - So here is the official statement from The British Horse Society

BHS Condemns Return of Amersham Horses

The British Horse Society expresses its outrage at the decision made at Oxford Magistrates Court to return 29 donkeys and Shetland ponies to the family at the centre of the recent rescue operation at Spindles Farm in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

The January rescue of horses, ponies and donkeys from the premises of Jamie Gray was among the largest ever equine welfare operations to take place in the United Kingdom and saw many different horse welfare organisations working together to seize and subsequently rehabilitate the animals involved.

The decision made at Oxford Magistrates Court to return 29 of the ponies and donkeys to the Gray family, and to have the remainder of the animals sold at public auction, has come as a huge blow to all of those involved with the operation and everybody who is concerned about horse welfare.

BHS Welfare Senior Executive Lee Hackett said “The BHS is shocked and disappointed by the decision to return a number of horses to the Gray family. Whilst we recognise that the trials of those charged in this case have yet to take place, the terrible condition of the animals at the time they were rescued should have been enough to ensure that they remain safely in the care of rescue organisations. This will be devastating news to everybody who has been involved in the care and rehabilitation of these animals”.

“The decision to sell the remainder of the horses, ponies and donkeys at public auction is as mystifying as it is disappointing. We are appalled that these animals will now be put in a position where their future welfare cannot be guaranteed. We fully support the RSPCA’s argument that they should be allowed to supervise the re-homing of these horses to approved homes where knowledgeable and responsible people will care for them. This is the absolute least that these animals deserve.”
 
Lets hope the BHS/RSCPA/ILPH etc can stop this from happening by working together. I wonder if some form of petition would help prevent this act of stupidity from taking place?
 
You know I've been thinking, not good some may say
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, but anyway here goes.

If the RSPCA, BHS, ILPH etc etc are so worried about these horses going back through the auction rings, would this imply that they are worried about every other horse who goes through an auction ring? At auction, no horse can have any guarantee of going to a "nice owner". Seems to me that neglected/underweight horses are simply a symptom and the real cause are the auctions?

There are horses who look exactly like these particular horses who go through auctions all the time; why are these ones any more special than all of the others who end up on that journey?
 
Tia - it's clear that you (and one or two others) do not view this situation as one to be concerned or upset about.

Charities can't help all animals - but at least these stood a chance.

I don't understand why some forum members are so dismissive of others concerns and upset over this.....
 
tia I couldn't agree with you more. Every week of every year we see horses and ponies, no diferent to the ones in the JG case and some a darn sight worse loading onto meat trucks. Sometimes, many times, we are the only welfare present at those auctions. There are no diferences, it's just the JG horses are high profile.
Henley auction will never ever cope with the volumn of horses it's looking like having to take, it's a bad enough venue on a 'normal' monthly sale.
No one is dismissing it as trivial but thre is a point that JG's yard/farm/holdings isn'tt he only place in the UK where horses and ponies put through auctions end up.
What a shambles this whole case is turning out to be.
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I think also Amy, that it throws back into everyone's faces (those that donated, supported in any way OE and the other organisations) all that they were trying to do.

As you say, at least these few stood a chance of decent lives; that must be in doubt again now. The Grays must be laughing their socks off.

I do also have to agree with EMW I'm afraid. It will always happen unless the laws are tightened up so much more and really hefty fines and disqualifications happen as a result.
 
I think Tia has raised a valid point. Tia, I would imagine that these horses are different because the charities concerned have rescued them and have them in their care, therefore they feel responsible for them. Wouldnt it be lovely if the charities could buy every single animal that looks neglected through the ring, but that is never going to happen. I would think that after investing so much time and effort into getting these poor animals into a respectable and healthycondition it must be heartbreaking to see them disposed of in such a manner.
 
There is nothing to stop the RSPCA/ILPH/etc bidding for these horses to take control of their future if they do end up at auction despite efforts to stop it.

this news about the horses being sent back to JG and sold at auction has made it to ITV Local London TV news including statement from an RSPCA official - just turned on TV and it was on the screen
 
[ QUOTE ]
There is nothing to stop the RSPCA/ILPH/etc bidding for these horses

[/ QUOTE ]
No there isn't. But the Animal Welfare Act should have ensured that they didn't have to
 
On April 22 at Westminster there is a welfare briefing.
"Moving Forwards With Animal Welfare Strategies: Ensuring Effective Delivery"
One of the topics for discussion is
How to ensure consistent, transparent and efficient animal welfare enforcement? This surely is the crux of the Amersham case.
EMW Sanctuaries UK, along with other welfare agencies, are attending this briefing.
 
I don't know enough about this situation to be upset I'm afraid. All I saw were speculative reports from tabloid newspapers, some TV reports and photos of the horses who were, by no means, at deaths door; scrawny, uncared for and underweight, yes; but not on deaths door.

Well these particular horses do still stand a chance; much more of a chance than the hundreds and thousands of others who will go through the rings this year.

I am not dismissive of what other people think; everyone is free to think whatever they choose; I am putting across my view, in no different a way than anyone else - mine just happens to be a different viewpoint from the majority; doesn't mean it is right or wrong, just means I am open-minded and know how easily situations like this can arise, when dealing with horses such as these.

I am, and always have been, sitting on the fence on this one. The truth will out and justice will be done, as they say.
 
[ QUOTE ]
You know I've been thinking, not good some may say
tongue.gif
, but anyway here goes.

If the RSPCA, BHS, ILPH etc etc are so worried about these horses going back through the auction rings, would this imply that they are worried about every other horse who goes through an auction ring? At auction, no horse can have any guarantee of going to a "nice owner". Seems to me that neglected/underweight horses are simply a symptom and the real cause are the auctions?

There are horses who look exactly like these particular horses who go through auctions all the time; why are these ones any more special than all of the others who end up on that journey?

[/ QUOTE ]
My thoughts exactly Tia. M.
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I have to agree with Tia.

DAILY horses are passed from pillar to post or sold at auction when they are not fit to do so. It doesnt mean we shouldnt care about the Amersham horses, but TBH they've had TLC and care over the past few weeks. Tomorrow, the next day, next month and next year horses at deaths door will still pass through auctions looking like bags of ****.

and it isnt just sales rings either
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I agree, flood Gordon Brown with emails, I've just done mine, stressing that the horses will likely suffer trauma at market and should be allowed to be purchased prior to this at market value by the charities.
I'm no bunny hugger believe me, but this is akin to removing a child from that Jersey Care home then slinging them back..
Markets are horrible places for horses, and they could be sold to the charities before going.
 
Yes many horses with heartbreaking histories are passed through auction on a daily basis. These ones are currently in the care of charities, and I'm sure the reason the charities want to prevent this lot from going to auction is because they know they can find them decent homes and monitor the horses' welfare themselves, particularly since the horses have (at least according to the charities) had a tough background with JG. It is not usual for horses to be taken out fo the care of charities and sent to auctions, especially since the profit looks like it will go to JG. (At least I think I read that somewhere, not 100% sure though). That alone must be the biggest kick in the face. These charities - not just the rspca but HT, ILPH and Redwings, all believed at least some of the horses to neglected in some way. For the aleged perpetrator of the neglect to profit from the work the charities have put in - I'd say that alone was enough for them to want to make sure they weren't sold to the profit of JG & co.

*Sorry turned out to be a rant, tried to stick to what facts I know or strongly believe...*
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There was an awfull lot of donations that went to the charities that took on the care for these horses, could they not buy them back with some of that money to save them going to auction
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this is so wierd, i just cant get my head round it
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in realitly all the donations people so kindly gave to help the horses ends up lining JG pockets
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Yes there are lots of horses that get mistreated and i agree with whats been said, you cant help them all but surley if you can help some then that cant be a bad thing can it.
I hope they all get the chance to get a good home with all love and attention they deserve.
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iirc one of the mares rescued is blind

now what is her fate at auction going to be ?

that one horse alone would never be rehomed by a charity and was intended to have a home for life at the charity centre

not all the horses rescued are capable of being rehomed - and it is those that will end up as burgers once auctioned for 'market value'

the thought of that blind mare being transported and put thru a sale ring at a strange location makes me feel sick
 

Yes these horses are now high profile and very very important as it has brought to THE GENERAL PUBLIC's attention about the state of some of the horses in this country and also about horse dealers, horse sales etc....

So now this info is known to the public not just kept inside the ring of dealers etc and this info is very important to be able to help ALL the other badly treated equines that are not in the public eye so hopefully will benefit them all.

So it is important to be able to have this in the news to make people aware of what is actually going on as the public would not have been made aware of these issues had it not been for the Amersham Horses.
 
I have to agree with you ALL, Tia has a valid point in that she isn't being dismissive about these particular horses but is raising the point that the really issue is with the low standards that are found in the auction houses. My mother was dealer and I spent many of my childhood years in the aution ring selling and buying horses (Henley in Arden being one of them) and I can honestly say that the standard (not 100% then by any means) has certainly dropped.

Yes I am as concerned and horrified that these horses & donkeys will be returned to JG or go through an auction ring leaving their fate unknown, they have now just started to come out of themselves and trust people again or for the first time and I fully support all that is being done to stop this happening, but with Tia's point in mind can we continue to lobby MPs etc to raise the standard at auctions so likes of the JG have no business there with other horses in the same condition, this won't stop all bad equine management of course but it is raising the point and hopefully cutting out low level scub who should wheel and deal in scrap metal and not living animals.
 
And do we know the actual situation with regards to passports for all of these animals? Does Mr Gray possess them for all of the animals concerned? If he does not have passports for those animals they propose to return he should not be entitled to them. And those they propose to auction - how can they if they don't have passports? Can he prove ownership???
 
[ QUOTE ]
And do we know the actual situation with regards to passports for all of these animals? Does Mr Gray possess them for all of the animals concerned? If he does not have passports for those animals they propose to return he should not be entitled to them. And those they propose to auction - how can they if they don't have passports? Can he prove ownership???

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point...but surely, in the eyes of the law, the RSPCA couldn't/shouldn't of moved them back in January without relevent passports...so the passports should be at the various Rescu Centres.
 
i should of thought so because the RSPCA used commercial transporters.....and they weren't being transported by their owner....
 
I personally would have thought the RSPCA etc are legally obliged to remove animals in danger with or without passports. Bearing in mind it is a £5,000 fine (so I believe) for each passport NOT held, can JG produce the 29 passports for the animals the judge proposes to return to him? If not then legally he should be made to pay 29 fines of £5,000 for not having passports and his animals withheld until the proper documentation i.e. passports can be produced by JG. This will be a long and slow task and will protect those animals a little longer. Is anything actually being done by the police on this matter as it is their call when it comes to checking passports isn't it?
 
this argument is null and void because, as many members have stated on here, he bought these animals from sales/markets, took them back to his farm to fatten them.... if he did, then yes, they would have passports.....beit ones issued at the market, or ones provided before they went to market....either way they all will have a passport...

the only ones that MAY NOT have one are any animals BORN whilst at his farm....
 
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