HORSE owners across Thurrock are being warned the council’s trading standards department is carrying out a borough-wide check of horse passports
By law, all horses, ponies and donkeys must have a horse passport to help make sure horses treated with certain medicines don’t end up as food for people, and to prevent the sale of a stolen horse, pony or donkey, as the passport proves its identity.
The numbers of horses grazing with no clear ownership has prompted the move so officers will be using their powers to check documentation and scan ID chips.
People who own horses grazing in the borough are being asked to ensure their passports are available and up to date – this is particularly important for anyone who has recently bought a horse as sometimes paperwork is not transferred correctly.
Anyone owning a horse without a passport should contact the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs helpline on 08459 33 55 77 for assistance.
Further information can also be found at www.gov.uk/horse-passport/overview
And what happens to the horses where no passport exists and the owners can’t be traced?