What do you do with your horse's passport when they die?

[Spottyappy]

Sadly, one of our horses passed away at the weekend.
Now, as I understand it, the law says your vet should sign the passport, then it be returned to the issuing authority?
As she was found dead- probably a heart attack- we didn't need the vet(praise be, no mega high vet bill to pay! And, no horrible decisions to be made, she kindly spared us that).
The people who took her away didn't need the passport- ashes being returned to us, not sure if that has a bearing on it, but I thought they needed the passport?
When vet contacted, they seemed at a loss at what to do, but said they didn't need to sign it either.
Surely, this just proves how senseless and what a waste of money passports are- if we were dishonest(which we're not) we could reassign the passport,to another animal, or maybe sell the passport onto someone unscrupuless
Contacted the issuer, who suggested we return it to them,with a covering letter.
But, what if we didn't do that,seems we would be in a position that noone would bother if we didn't?
What have other people done when they have been in this situation?

 

[danielle23]

I also wouldnt no sorry, but am interested to hear what others say?
Sorry for your loss xxx

 

[xwp]

Ive always thought you sent them back as they are the property of the issuing agency but I also assumed that the vet/someone else who was authorised ie hunt kennels etc would sign something on the passport to say the animal was deceased!

 

[MontyandZoom]

As far as I know, you are meant to return the passport to whoever issued it. I think you can make a request to have the passport back once they have processed it.

I still haven't sent Monty's off though To be fair, his says he was a 16hh black mare, scribbled out to say gelding Poor old boy, he was 17hh, dark bay and DEFINATELY a boy!!

 

[BobbyMondeo]

I think you are supposed to send them back yes but to be honest i dont think anyone would know/care if you didnt

 

[natalia]

Your meant to send back to issuing authority. It will then come up as "horse notified deceased" on the the NED. They will normally return it to you after this if you ask them too.

 

[marinitagsd]

oooppps I still have Mariner's passport and I lost him in 1993!
x

 

[Carys]

Oops - another one who's not sent back their passports - I've got 4 from horses we lost in a very short space of time sitting indoors waiting to be sent (last one went in 2002 !!). Slap on wrist - MUST DO THIS NOW !! None signed by vets or slaughterers - was just going to do covering letters.

 

[aduffield]

You have to return the passport to the issuing authority, it is then marked as de-ceased and the passport HAS to be returned to you/ the pio can't keep it as it rermains your property even though the animal is dead. This is gospel as I have had to deal with the defra regs. regarding passports as part of my job.

 

[pixi]

Your meant to send back to issuing authority. It will then come up as "horse notified deceased" on the the NED. They will normally return it to you after this if you ask them too.

no your supose to give it to the person who disposes of your horse /but the insurance company will ask for it if you have a claim but they will except that you may of given it to the collector .the last official person who handles the passport eg insurance company or horse disposer will send it to the issuing authority

 

[Donkeymad]

Legally, you must return it to the PIO. You can ask for it back, but they do not have to return it (most will) as the Passport AT NO TIME is your property, but the property of the PIO.

 

[RuthnMeg]

My old boy Sunny - a TB had a weatherbys passport. He was put down summer 2006 - my dad took him to the kennels. Stumbled across his passport a while later (kennels didn't want it) and the passport? Chopped up and binned ((not by me though)). Rightly or wrongly its happend and no-one seems to care.

 

[Donkeymad]

This quote is from Defra.

When your horse dies
When your horse dies, you must return the passport to the PIO that originally issued it within 30 days of your horse’s death. However, if you want to keep the passport, the PIO may be able to return it to you after they have updated their records.

aduflield, the gospel according to you, not DEFRA or the PIO's.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

My beloved, old 33 yr old was PTS a couple of weeks ago. My vet made all the arrangements and they also organised Grafton Equine Bereavement services to make the final arrangements for me. We had to sign papers to say he had been on medication before he was pts, but at no point did anyone mention the passport.

I still have it.

 

[RuthnMeg]

30 days? - I'll be a bit late!!

 

[MissSBird]

When my mare was pts I phoned up the number in her passport and they explained that it needed to be sent back. I went to do so, promptly burst into tears at the thought of not having it and got back on the phone to them. Kind lady very calmly explained I could have it back if I sent an SAE.

I think it was over the 30 days by the time I got the courage to post it. No one mentioned that though.

 

[marmalade76]

Donkeymad is right. I lost my horse three weeks ago. He had a Weatherby's ID passport and I phoned the number on it. They said I had to send it back with a covering letter and they would stamp it as void and return it if I wanted it. This is to prevent the passport from being used for any other horse. They did not mention anything about having to do it within 30 days or anything about having to have it signed by a vet or knackerman.

Passports and height certs remain the property of whoever issues them.

 

[Hollycat]

When my horse was PTS the insurance company, vet or disposal company never mentioned my horses passort. I still have it somewhere though not sure where. I can't really see interpol turning up and my door and arresting me for not returning a horses passport (it was a dutch one) and I was so upset by his death it wasn't a priority on my list. I think if it makes you feel better I would keep the passport unless you are a member of the breed society etc and may be sanctioned with your other horses for not returning it.

 

[marmalade76]

My PIO would not have known my horse had died had I not told them, but if they do bring in a horse tax I don't want to be charged for a horse I haven't got!

 

[brighteyes]

I have still got mine - and I really don't want it sent back with deceased stamped in it. I'll deal with the horse tax issue when/if it arises.

Passports? Sorry, they are a joke.

 

[guisbrogal]

I too lost my mare last year of a heart attack in the field. The vet didn't need to sign it and I posted it back to the PIO. I never got it back though and was never told I could have it back which I really would have liked.

However don't get me going on horse passports I recently bought another horse and it cost me £15 to change ownership. All they did was sign the darn thing and change their computer records! (5 mins work??) and then as I had pointed out that her name was incorrectly spelt on a number of pages they promptly drew two lines right across all the pages to highlight they were incorrect! It has come back looking absolutely dreadful with void lines all through it