Greater control over illegally abandoned horses

On 26 March 2015 the Control of Horses Act 2015 received Royal Assent and this will become law on 26 May 2015. This new law amends the Animals Act 1971 and is designed to better prevent people from unlawfully grazing (and/or abandoning) horses, asses, mules or hinnies on private or public land without landowner’s permission.

In brief the Control of Horses Act 2015:

• gives local authorities in England a power to detain horses which are in any public place in their area which they have reasonable grounds for believing are there without lawful authority. Public place includes any common land, town or village green and any highway (or verges of a highway).
• gives occupiers and freeholders of land in England a power to detain horses which are on their land without lawful authority.
• introduces a new procedure for the detention or disposal of detained horses. This modifies the procedure under the Animals Act 1971 (and now, horses can be disposed of 96 hours after detention rather than 14 days). Disposal can include sale, humane destruction or disposal in any other way, such as giving the horse to a charity (rather than being restricted to sale).

Please contact Edward Meers for further information or advice.