THURROCK Council has issued a further statement in light of the ongoing furore over horses in the Mardyke Valley.
A spokesperson for Thurrock Council said: “The council continues to work closely with the RSPCA on this matter and they have not raised any concerns with the council about the welfare of the horses which appear well fed and fit.
“The council owns over 100 acres of land in the Mardyke Valley on both sides of the river. Although it is a dedicated flood plain there is also higher, drier land to which the horses have free access.
“Council officers have been monitoring the situation very closely over recent weeks. They have visited the site four times since Christmas – the latest yesterday – and have met with the tenant; somebody who has been grazing horses on the land for more than two decades, starting when it was owned by Essex County Council.
“Council trading standards officers are currently checking to confirm that all the horses grazing on the site have valid horse passports.
“Thurrock will continue checking to monitor the safety of these animals regularly”.
oh do me a favour if they have passports then I’ll eat my boots for breakfast. One horse was so lame today that two men on the site whipped it to get it to its feet. It could hardly walk. Thurrock Gazette chap witnessed this. Neglect beyond belief and Thurrock Council are just as bad for permitting this to happen.
I agree with Beresponsible. I am wondering if any of them at the council would know one end of a horse from the other. I reported two years ago to the RSPCA that a foal had broken its back leg or pelvis on the Mardyke, I was asked if it could get to its mother!!! My reply was no, I had to call them later to find out what was being done, I was told they had informed the owner but he was drunk
Much later I heard two gun shots, the drunk had shot the foal and the RSPCA did nothing.if Thurrock council are working with the RSPCA I suggest they get their act together, it is a crime to neglect an animal and they should be prosecuted.
An RSPCA officer told me that 2 horses have died there in the last 6 months so to say they have no concerns is a bit misleading…………the local officers are very concerned but are powerless as the law is a grey area. However the ponies do not have the freedom to act naturally and if there is one that is lame and they haven’t treated it, then the law is being flouted. Anyway what about TBC allowing sub letting to go on? That was illegal last time I checked. The chief executive earns almost £200,000.00 per year, am I the only one who feels ripped off at the expense of those poor ponies?