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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 24th November 2014
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MPs back new fly-grazing laws
horse
"It is clear that the number of horses being left to graze on private land has grown significantly in recent years".
Proposed changes offer new controls to tackle fly-grazing

New laws to tackle illegal fly grazing in England have won the support of the Government and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee.

A bill promoted by Julian Sturdy, MP for outer York, will allow faster removal of horses left to graze on private land without permission. It will also reduce the period of time before landowners can take action, from 14 days to around four.

Efra Committee chair Anne McIntosh, said: "It is clear that the number of horses being left to graze on private land has grown significantly in recent years, and we are glad that action to make it easier to deal with that is being supported by Defra and the Government.

"It would be helpful if the action taken in Ireland to deal with this problem were matched."

A letter to the committee from animal welfare minister, Lord de Mauley, explaining changes to the legislation has now been published.

Under previous legislation, those detaining fly-grazed horses can only sell them at market or public auction, however the Bill on the Control of Horses (England) 2014 allows more flexibility, so horses can be euthanised, rehomed or given to a charity.

Lord de Mauley also reports that progress has been made in securing legislation for a Europe-wide equine database. A new regulation agreed in September 2014 requires all member states to hold a central equine database.

In addition, there will be new minimum standards for horse passports and governments will have greater power to suspend or ban organisations from issuing passports if they fail to meet requirements.

Microchipping controls will also be tightened up and there will be a requirement to notify the database and passport issuing organisations if a horse has been signed out of the food chain.

These new rules will become national law in due course and the UK database will be set up in mid-2016.

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.